Cigar consumption in Europe (2011-2020) 

Cigars and cigarillos are niche products within a much larger manufactured tobacco market and constitute enjoyment products, which contribute only marginally to smoking prevalence across the EU.

The market for cigars and cigarillos continues to decline across Europe (from 10 billion sticks in 2011 to 8.85 in 2020) with no signs that this trend will reverse anytime soon.

Estimated Market Shares of Tobacco Products in the European Union in 2019

Number of units, billions % of total market 
Factory-made cigarettes 458.4 80.1
Fine-cut tobacco 79.25 13.8
Heat-not-burn products12.32.2
Cigars and Cigarillos 9.23 1.6
Smokeless tobacco7 1.2
Pipe tobacco 6.51.1
Total 572.68 100.0 

Source: DG TAXUD, Releases for consumption of cigarettes and fine cut tobacco (2002-2019), ECMA figures for cigars/cigarillos and Euromonitor International; Tobacco Industry Edition, 2021 for heat-not-burn, smokeless and pipe tobacco products. The estimate of ‘units’ for the fine-cut, smokeless and pipe tobacco categories are based on a conversion of tonnage data at 1 gramme per piece. These figures include consumption in the United Kingdom.

Sales developments of cigars in the EU 2012-2020 (in millions of units)

Countries201220132014201520162017201820192020
EU TOTAL10.0019.92610.3959.2439.1419.0629.2438.8608.847

Source: ECMA estimates based on market data. For comparison purposes, these figures do not include consumption in the United Kingdom.

Revenue from tobacco excise duty (in € millions)

2019Country Cigarettes Cigars and CigarillosOther Smoking Tobacco (including Fine Cut Tobacco)
Belgium1898,0412,4574,15
Bulgaria 1335,31,561,79
Czech Republic2066,537,89103,03
Denmark994,745,6247,76
Germany12248,287,141908,27
Estonia220,031,798,73
Greece2202,28NA*NA*
Spain6114,57100,44625,85
France 10537,22225,641819,88
Croatia687,05NA*NA*
Ireland 1127,556,742,45
ItalyNANANA
Cyprus146,412,9528,49
Latvia 216,922,687,79
Lithuania279,053,4813,41
Luxembourg4222,02203,71
Hungary 854,859,55247,03
Malta91,180,366,1
Netherlands1949,6711,1633,88
Austria1894,2NA*NA*
Poland4910,85NA*NA*
Portugal1297,1819,4270,18
Romania2665,412,566,52
Slovenia 400,480,8615,14
Slovakia735,523,5926,52
Finland 796,6933,289,63
Sweden823,285,6322,06
UK8396,9986,051757,67
Rounded Total73.1007008.500

* Included under “cigarettes’.