Cigarette prices to grow faster than anticipated

The price of cigarettes is expected to grow faster than anticipated in the coming year. Price bulletins show that the price of a pack will rise by eight crowns instead of the announced seven, the daily Pravo writes in its Friday edition. Excise duty on cigarettes will grow from the current 1.64 crowns to 1.92 per cigarette. In previous years producers reacted to price growth by cutting margins. Philip Morris, the dominant player on the market, has changed its strategy and will now raise the margin. Rival companies are preparing to do the same, Pravo says.