Because of a new regulation for shisha tobacco in Germany, the industry says there will soon be such a shortage of supply that many consumers might not be able to get a refill, reports Berliner Zeitung.

"In autumn, the sales shelves will probably be partly empty because the manufacturers cannot keep up with production," says the managing director of the Federal Association of Water Pipe Tobacco, Folke Rega. As of 1 July, only small packages with a maximum of 25 grams of hookah tobacco may be sold; the 200-gram packages and larger containers that have been common up to now will then be banned. Old stocks may still be sold, but most of them will be used up by autumn. According to the association, the approximately 100 German manufacturers of hookah tobacco did not have enough time to retool their machines or buy new equipment. Only six to seven of the German manufacturers are currently able to produce the small packages, and only with low production capacities. It is not only the short supply that could soon come as a nasty surprise for shisha users, but also the price. Compared to the end of 2021, a gram of hookah tobacco will cost about twice as much in the future, according to estimates by the industry association. This is due to an additional tax that has been in effect since this year and higher production costs.