Cigarettes in Bulgaria are expected to increase in price again in March 2027. The reason is a new increase in the excise duty, which will come into effect from March 1 and will increase the total rate from 120 to 126 euros per 1000 pieces.
According to the adopted changes, the specific excise duty will increase from 77 to 82 euros per 1000 pieces. The proportional excise tax, which is calculated as a percentage of the selling price, will be reduced from 21 to 20.5 percent.
“From March 1, 2027, the excise tax rate for cigarettes is 126 euros per 1,000 pieces“, the excise calendar stipulates.The higher excise tax does not automatically mean an equal increase for all brands. According to the industry, each company will decide whether to transfer the entire cost to buyers or to compensate for part of it by reducing its margin. Therefore, the exact price of the pack will depend on the specific manufacturer, the price segment and the commercial policy.
About 12 euro cents more per pack
Preliminary estimates cited by bTV indicate that the increase could affect the price of a pack of cigarettes by about 12 euro cents. This is an indicative value, not a fixed price increase for all products.
Consumers will not necessarily feel the change on the same day. There may be quantities with old tax labels remaining in the retail network, which will be sold until they are exhausted. The new prices will appear gradually with the arrival of batches with updated tax labels.
Another increase in 2028.
The adopted schedule also provides for a next step from January 1, 2028. Then the total excise tax on cigarettes should reach 132 euros per 1,000 pieces. The specific component will be 87 euros, and the proportional component will be set at 20 percent of the selling price.
Thus, the price increase in March 2027 will not be the last planned change. The final price, however, will depend not only on the excise tax, but also on the decisions of manufacturers, importers and traders.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg, fakti.bg, dv.parliament.bg