Belgium to increase tobacco taxes in 2022

The Belgian government plans to increase the price of tobacco products starting in January 2022. A pack of 20 cigarettes—currently priced at €7.50—will cost €7.75, while the price of 50 grams of tobacco will rise from around €11.20 to €12. Increases are also planned through 2024.

In its 2022 federal budget, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's government included €308 million in additional revenue from tobacco taxes. The Prime Minister also indicated that increases on vaping products are expected soon.

A tax policy deemed too weak by health associations

The Belgian government hopes to make tobacco consumption less attractive with these increases.[1].

The 1^er As of January 2021, the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes had increased by 70 cents and a pack of 50 grams by €1.50. Such repeated and significant price increases through taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products are indeed considered a very effective mechanism for reducing tobacco use, particularly among young people and those in lower economic conditions. These increases play a vital role in all countries that want to achieve a tobacco-free generation.

But for the Cancer Foundation, Belgium is not going far enough. What would really be a deterrent would be to increase the price more significantly, as in France where the packet costs €10. ", says Sophie Adam, press officer for the Cancer Foundation. "In Belgium, we're not there yet. It would also be important to invest in smoking cessation assistance. By helping smokers quit, we could really make a bigger difference."

Achieving a tobacco-free generation by 2037 in Belgium

With 1.4 million daily smokers and more than 360,000 occasional smokers in Belgium in 2021, the country nevertheless aims to achieve a tobacco-free generation by 2037. With this in mind, a number of measures have been introduced as part of an overall strategy since 2019. In January 2020, the country introduced plain packaging and, unlike in France, plain packaging applies not only to classic manufactured cigarettes and rolling tobacco but also to shisha tobacco, as well as related products such as rolling papers, cigarette tubes and filters.[2].

To protect young people, since July 2020 it has been illegal to smoke while driving in the presence of a young person under the age of eighteen, whether using traditional or electronic cigarettes.[3]. Furthermore, the minimum age required for a customer to be authorized by a seller to sell them a tobacco product or an electronic cigarette has been raised to 18 years.[4].

In January 2021, Belgium also strengthened the ban on advertising tobacco products, notably by removing the exception for advertising at points of sale for which posters were authorized inside and on the facades of bars and newsagents selling tobacco products.^[5].

Keywords: Belgium, tobacco-free generation, taxation, taxes, tobacco

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[1] Denis Vanderbrugge with Alexis GonzalezSmokers will pay even more for their tobacco in 2022, RTBF, October 13, 2021, consulted on October 15, 2021 [2] January 1, 2020: Plain cigarette packets become mandatory in Belgium, Cancer Foundation, December 30, 2019, accessed October 15, 2021 [3] House approves ban on smoking in cars with minors, RTBF, April 16, 2020, consulted on October 15, 2021 [4] Adjustment of the age limit for the sale of tobacco, Health Belgium, October 28, 2020, accessed October 15, 2021 ^[5] Tobacco advertising: stricter law from January 1, Health Belgium, December 10, 2020, accessed October 15, 2021 National Committee Against Smoking |