paper shortage
Cigarettes could become scarce: Manufacturer warns of delivery bottlenecks
In Germany, almost a third of people over the age of 14 reach for a cigarette
© Terroa / Getty Images
Getting cigarettes could become more difficult in the future: the war in the Ukraine is leading to a shortage of paper – and thus to delivery problems for manufacturers.
The war in Ukraine is having a significant impact on the global economy, and consumers in Germany are feeling this firsthand. Many products are becoming more expensive in shops, energy prices are rising massively, and some goods are even (at least temporarily) hard to get. Apparently, this could soon also apply to cigarettes.
The reason for this is the lack of paper, as reported by the “Bild” newspaper. It’s not about the production of the butts per se. The problem is more with the boxes. These were partly made in Ukraine. “Because of the tense situation on the raw materials markets worldwide and the shortage of cardboard boxes, bottlenecks can actually occur,” said the tobacco company Philip Morris of the “Bild”.
Cigarettes: the situation at vending machines is getting worse
Philip Morris produces well-known cigarette brands such as Marlboro and L&M. Because of the war, the company had to shut down a factory in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. According to “Bild”, the bottlenecks primarily affect pack sizes of 22 and 29 Marlboro Red and Gold cigarettes.
Smokers could therefore get nothing if they want to get new butts. According to wholesalers, there are sometimes no more supplies, especially at machines. “We feel the shortage clearly, the customers are at a disadvantage,” said Cyryl Ratz, sales manager of wholesale tobacco products Dietz.
Percentage of smokers in Germany is increasing
According to the Debra long-term study, which is being conducted at the University of Düsseldorf under the direction of addiction researcher Daniel Kotz, the number of smokers in Germany has risen steadily since the beginning of the corona pandemic. Prior to that, the proportion had been falling for years. A third of people over the age of 14 reach for a cigarette. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 75,500 people in Germany died in 2020 as a result of smoking – mostly from cancer.
Sources: “Picture” / German survey on smoking behavior / Federal Office of Statistics