Madrid fixed at Euro 70 per 1,000 cigarettes one of two taxes on tobacco from Euro 55 previously.

The measure will affect brands whose current sales price is less than Euro 2.17 a packet.
If passed on by manufacturers, the tax hike will raise the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes from currently Euro 1.95 to Euro 2.11.
This step comes nine months on from a bitter price war by manufacturers and the passing of tough new legislation limiting smoking in public places. The government says previous hikes had not had an effect on manufacturers' and importers' retail prices given their recent price war. (pi)