New survey finds Waterford many be one of the worst offenders for illegal cigarettes
The Empty Pack survey was carried out by the WSPM Group on behalf of tobacco and nicotine pouch manufacturer JTI Ireland
Just under 20% of cigarette packs surveyed in Waterford were illegal or counterfeit, according to the latest Empty Pack Survey.
The Empty Pack survey was carried out by the WSPM Group on behalf of tobacco and nicotine pouch manufacturer JTI Ireland.
Researchers looked at discarded cigarette packs, which WSPM say is provides a representative sample of the market in Ireland.
The researchers found that 19% or a fifth of packs surveyed were counterfeit and manufactured without authorisation from the owners.
They also found that 52% were non-Irish Duty Paid.
This means Irish tax was not paid on the pack, but that may or may not be legal depending on the circumstances.
Waterford had the third-highest rate for counterfeit cigarettes of the 22 locations surveyed.
Wexford and Ennis had the highest, with the latter being only 1% less than the Déise.
Nationwide, the survey revealed counterfeit cigarettes made up 14% of the cigarette packs surveyed.
Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Ireland Daan van Hamersveld said the findings show that Waterford if one of the worst offenders for illegal cigarettes.
“The Government’s own figures show that illegal tobacco products cost the state over €750 million in lost taxes in 2025 alone,[2] while at the same time undermining legitimate retailers and providing income for organised crime groups.
“When legal non-Irish duty paid products are included, retailers across the country are losing out on over €1 billion in lost turnover annually as smokers increasingly turn to lower-priced illegal and other NIDP cigarettes.
"At the same time, the smoking rate has remained stable since 2019, suggesting smokers are simply seeking alternative channels in response to tax increases rather than quitting.
“We would urge the Government to pair a more moderate approach to excise increases with stronger enforcement action against the criminal networks behind cigarette smuggling and counterfeiting to avoid further exacerbating this already serious situation,” said Mr van Hamersveld.
