Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited has notified huge price hikes of its three premium cigarette brands by up to roughly Rs. 100 or 18 percent per pack.
The rates of local favorites Dunhill Lights, Dunhill Switch, and Dunhill Special have gone up with the cheapest retailing at Rs. 583 to the most expensive now on sale for Rs. 633 per packet.
Pursuant to clause (III) of the Federal Excise General Order No. 3/2007 the recommended retail prices and the applicable sales tax of various brands under the Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited have been revised upwards as follows:
Brand Name Pack Size Retail Price Sales Tax Total Price
Dunhill Lights 20HL Rs. 494.06 Rs. 88.94 Rs. 583.00
Dunhill Switch 20HL Rs. 536.44 Rs. 96.56 Rs. 633.00
Dunhill Special 20HL Rs. 494.06 Rs. 88.94 Rs. 583.00
Other players in the industry are expected to follow suit and increase the per-packet price differentials by raising consumer rates significantly above the cost of the tax increase on premium tobacco products.
It bears mentioning that all registered tobacco companies first notified huge price hikes of 250 percent per packet in February in response to the sales tax rate rise from 17 to 18 percent and a 150 percent increase in FED on cigarettes in 2022-23.
Source: Pro Pakistani