The first of four consecutive hikes in excise duty on tobacco products took effect in January under a plan that will boost the price of cigarettes by one third to NZD 30 (EUR 19.70) by 2020.

The increases were announced last May as part of the budget. A pack of 20 cigarettes that currently sells for about NZD 20 will cost NZD 30 as of 1 January 2020. Quitline Chief Executive Andrew Slater, cited by Radio New Zealand (RNZ), said he expected calls to the telephone advice service would double in January and February.