The proportion of smokers purchasing cheap cigarettes from illicit sources has almost doubled since 2023, according to new analysis. This significant increase is believed to reflect the rising cost of living that has impacted households in recent years, researchers suggest.
While overall data indicates that the size of the illicit tobacco market has not grown, experts have urged the government “not to be complacent about past successes” in tackling illegal sales.
The study, spearheaded by UCL and funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK), examined survey responses from 9,996 individuals aged 16 and over who identified as current smokers.
The findings revealed that while the majority (76.9 per cent) reported buying tobacco legally, nearly a quarter (23.1 per cent) admitted to having used illicit sources at least once in the previous six months. This represents a substantial rise from 12.2 per cent in 2023.
These illicit purchases included acquiring cheap tobacco from friends, buying “under-the-counter” products from newsagents or corner shops, or sourcing cut-price cigarettes from people in their local area.
Some respondents also reported buying cigarettes from sellers in pubs or from people offering them cheaply on the street.
Professor Sarah Jackson, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: “Our findings suggest that more smokers are turning to illicit sources of tobacco compared with 2023.
“That may partly reflect the financial pressures many people have faced in recent years, as people look for ways to reduce the cost of smoking, which also include switching to cheaper legal products, cutting down, or trying to quit completely.”
The analysis also found that some people who took part in the survery were below the legal age of sale.
Among 16 to 17-year-olds who had purchased tobacco, some 73.6 per cent said they had bought it from corner shops or newsagents.
Prof Jackson said: “We were concerned by the number of underage participants reporting that they had bought tobacco from ordinary retail outlets.”
She added that she was hopeful the Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it more difficult for teenagers to access cigarettes as the age-of-sale gradually rises.
But Prof Jackson added: “The success of the policy will depend not only on changing the law but also on ensuring that it is complied with.
“Effective enforcement and clear communication with retailers and the public will be essential, alongside continued efforts to reduce demand by supporting more people to quit smoking or switch to less harmful forms of nicotine.”
Elsewhere, researchers stressed that the findings do not suggest the the illict market has expanded.
HM Revenue and Customs figures published earlier this month suggest a record 1.9 billion illegal cigarettes were seized in the year to April, worth around £1.1 billion.
Senior author Prof Jamie Brown, also of UCL, said: “While our findings suggest a growing proportion of smokers are purchasing some or all of their tobacco from illicit sources, this does not necessarily mean the illicit market itself has become much larger.
“Our survey looked at whether people bought tobacco from different sources, but not how often they did so or how much tobacco they purchased from each source, which are important factors in the size of the illicit market.”
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy and information at CRUK, said: “While this research doesn’t signal that the illicit tobacco market has grown, it’s concerning that amongst the declining proportion of people who smoke, an increasing number of people are purchasing tobacco from illegal sources.
“This highlights the need for stronger enforcement.
“Tobacco still causes around 160 cancer cases every day in the UK, and action to bring down smoking rates is vital.
“The Tobacco and Vapes Act will help to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco, but the UK Government must also back this historic law with sustained investment to tackle illegal tobacco sales alongside support that helps people stop smoking.”
Reacting to the findings, which are published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive at Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), who was not involved in the study, said: “This study should sound a note of caution to the Government not to be complacent about past successes in controlling illegal tobacco.
“While the findings do not necessarily indicate a major expansion of the illicit market, they suggest there is a need to continue monitoring trends closely and maintain efforts to prevent illegal tobacco sales.”
