A decline of 1.5 per cent in consumption of legal cigarettes last year points to stabilisation in a domestic market that has posted 10 per cent declines since 2009, said market researcher Canadean.

Sales value of the almost 47 billion cigarettes sold in 2014 rose 0.2 per cent to just above USD 11 billion (EUR 10.1 billion). Domestic cigarette production in 2013 posted the first increase since 2008, rising 5.8 per cent to nearly 34 billion sticks, Canadean said.
“Despite recent signs of stability in the Spanish cigarette market, manufacturers need to ensure that they exercise caution in a market which has witnessed significant decline in recent years. Spanish smokers will continue to be primarily concerned with value, and the challenge for brands is to turn consumers away from contraband and roll-your-own cigarettes, back towards legitimate sales,” said Canadean analyst Sam Allen.