To mark the one-year anniversary of the It Costs More Than You Think campaign, JTI shares data showcasing what the British public think about illegal tobacco.
Illegal tobacco now makes up a sizable proportion of tobacco sales across the UK, with new research finding that 42% of cigarettes and 63% of hand rolling tobacco were not subject to UK taxes.
This black market has serious ramifications on the incomes of honest retailers, impacting on retailers’ legitimate tobacco sales and reducing wider basket spend, while fuelling crime in their communities.
Last year, JTI launched the It Costs More Than You Think campaign to further investigate the prevalence of illegal tobacco across the UK, raise awareness of the issue with both consumers and retailers, and call for positive policy change.
To mark the first anniversary, JTI has unveiled data showcasing the attitudes of the British public around illegal tobacco.
The results demonstrate that illegal tobacco is no longer hidden in UK communities and is widely recognised – with 85% of the public surveyed having heard of illegal tobacco, up from 83% in 2025.
A major enforcement and accountability gap was also clear from the research, with 82% stating there is not enough enforcement to stop illegal tobacco, and 80% saying politicians are not doing enough to tackle the black market.
The research also identified that the cost of living crisis is impacting behaviour with half (50%) of people surveyed saying that the current economic climate makes buying illegal tobacco more justifiable. Tax rises are widely seen as fuelling the illegal market, with 80% surveyed believing that rising taxes will bolster demand for illegal tobacco.
What the retailers say
“My tobacco sales are significantly down because of the growing illicit trade, and that’s having a knock-on effect on wider basket sales too. Many retailers are seeing the impact, with illegal tobacco continuing to undermine legitimate businesses and local communities. We need stronger enforcement, greater public awareness, and tougher penalties for those caught selling illegal products. Honest retailers who play by the rules shouldn’t be at a disadvantage while those operating outside the law continue to profit.”
“The ‘It Costs More Than You Think campaign is an important way to raise public awareness. People need to understand that buying illegal tobacco doesn’t just harm honest retailers, it can also fund organised criminal activity and put consumers at risk.”
Bobby Singh, owner of BB Superstore and Post Office in Pontefract.
“As independent retailers, we pride ourselves on being the heartbeat of our communities, but the unchecked rise of illegal tobacco is putting our survival at risk. Every time someone walks into a rogue shop down the road for a cheap, illicit pack, we don’t just lose that tobacco sale, we lose the vital footfall and wider basket spend that keeps our doors open.”
“What is incredibly frustrating is the lack of consistent enforcement. We are constantly hearing about undercover test purchases or stores being raided, but then the same stores are quickly open again, continuing to break the law, seemingly with absolute impunity. It feels like there is an unfair playing field.”
“With the new Tobacco and Vapes Act now in force, there is a very real danger that these measures will simply drive more smokers toward the black market if the Government doesn’t get a grip on enforcement. We don’t need more red tape – we need immediate, visible action on our high streets.”
Michael Dadra, owner of Nisa Local in Digbeth, Birmingham.
What JTI is calling for
The rise in illegal tobacco isn’t going to go away on its own – it’s clear that collaboration across the industry and with the Government is needed to shut down the illegal trade. Otherwise, legitimate retailers will continue to lose out on sales and crime levels in UK communities will rise.
JTI is calling on the Government to treat illegal tobacco as a serious economic and social issue with three simple asks:
1. Cancel the double taxation on tobacco
2. Introduce a licensing scheme
3. Increase penalties to fund enforcement.
JTI is working with retail partners to call for the implementation of a £10,000 on-the-spot fine to anyone found to be trading illegal tobacco. These fines could be ringfenced and then reinvested into Trading Standards frontline services, funding additional officers and resource to drive action, and covering the administration of a future licensing scheme.
It Costs More Than You Think
The It Costs More Than You Think Campaign aims to raise awareness of the illegal tobacco trade with both the public and retailers – and calls for positive policy change.
This year, JTI has added the results of its local undercover test purchasing operations to the site to demonstrate the scale of the illegal tobacco market across the country.
As part of the It Costs More Than You Think activity, JTI has collaborated with Convenience Store on a number of retailer roundtables including in Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Croydon.
For more information on the campaign and JTI’s Policy Asks, visit: https://www.itcostsmorethanyouthink.co.uk/our-policy-asks
