Illegal tobacco was found to be on sale in one in four independent Liverpool shops selling tobacco visited during a recent test-purchasing operation.
The operation, conducted on 30 January 2025 and 3 February 2026, visited 72 independent shops selling such products in Liverpool - 18 of which (25%) were found to be selling illegal tobacco.
Of those 18, 14 stores had also sold illegal tobacco during previous test-purchase operations, suggesting more needs to be done to tackle repeat offending.
New polling commissioned by the It Costs More Than You Think campaign also found 72% of people surveyed in Liverpool believe politicians aren’t doing enough to tackle illegal tobacco trading.
Meanwhile, 76% believe there is not enough enforcement to stop illegal tobacco sales.
HMRC estimates the issue of illegal tobacco is costing the Treasury over £2bn in lost tax revenue nationally each tax year.
Illicit tobacco products purchased during the recent Liverpool test purchasing operation included counterfeit Amber Leaf starting from just £4. For comparison, the RRP of a legal 30g pouch was £27.95 as of 19 January 2026 .
The illicit white cigarette brand Topgun, sourced from Belarus and the UAE, was also found to be on sale for £6.
These products were positioned behind vape displays in gantries among legal stock, as well as behind the counter or in a back room.
The polling also found that 97% of people surveyed in Liverpool are concerned illegal tobacco can lead to increased crime and violence in local communities.
Almost two-thirds (62%) of Liverpool residents surveyed are very concerned that a consequence of illegal tobacco is the funding of organised crime, while nearly three in four (73%) are very concerned about the impact on victims of organised crime, including those affected by human trafficking and exploitation.
From 1 October this year, smokers will face a double duty increase, with the usual annual RPI plus 2% tobacco uplift applied, alongside a one-off additional rise on cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, introduced with the new vaping products duty.
Government figures show the combined increases will add £1.21 to a pack of 20 cigarettes and £2.54 to a 30g pouch of roll-you-own tobacco, creating a sharp price rise that risks pushing more consumers towards the black market.
Among Liverpool smokers surveyed, nearly three in five (59%) believe the October 2026 tax increase will make them more likely to seek out cheaper alternative tobacco for the first time, with 50% believe buying illegal tobacco makes it more socially acceptable to buy other illegal goods.
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