There is a belief that product price is directly related to quality: the higher the cost, the better the quality. This logic applies to various industries, such as the automotive and electronics industries. Tobacco products are no exception—consumers may believe that the higher the price, the greater the guarantee that the cigarette will contain a premium blend of natural tobacco. However, it’s worth noting that high price is not always an indicator of a tobacco product’s quality. In this article, we will examine what influences the price of tobacco products and what to consider when choosing.
Contents
What can influence the price of a cigarette
What to consider when choosing
What can influence the price of a cigarette
Cigarettes are categorized by price segment. There are six main categories:
- Super-premium
- Premium
- Mid-price
- Affordable
- Cheap
- Filter
- Unfiltered cigarettes, papirosy
Defining a clear price range for each segment is quite difficult, as excise taxes on tobacco products are regularly increasing.
What else influences the price of cigarettes besides excise taxes?
Tobacco
This is the basis of a cigarette, and the quality of the tobacco determines its price by 80%. The tobacco variety, its growing location, and the method of curing all play a role. This is why many manufacturers include information about the blend (mixture of tobacco) or the country of origin of the raw materials on the pack. You can learn more about tobacco varieties in the article “Tobacco Varieties.”
Filter
This is the part of the cigarette whose main function is to filter harmful substances. This is why tobacco manufacturers strive to improve filtration systems by developing innovative filters. As a result, the cost of a cigarette with a simple filter can be lower.
Flavors and Capsules
To enhance the tobacco flavor and aroma, manufacturers use special sauces and flavors. Sauces and flavors can enhance the tobacco flavor, add new nuances to pure tobacco, or create a more complex taste. For capsule cigarettes, the country of manufacture and the quality of the capsules themselves play an important role. Therefore, cigarettes with a rich and complex flavor can be more expensive than lower-quality alternatives.
Paper and Packaging
High-quality tobacco can be spoiled if not stored properly, and this also applies to finished tobacco products. Flavor greatly depends on how well the tobacco has been preserved. It is also important to avoid moisture, so manufacturers use cardboard packaging and wrap the tobacco in special cigarette paper. Cigarette rolling papers can also vary in quality, which will affect the cost of the finished product.
Labor Costs in Production
The production of any product involves people and equipment. Tobacco production is no exception: the price of cigarettes, like any other product, includes production costs—labor costs, rent, or purchase of premises and equipment.
Logistics
Generally, the more complex and lengthy the route, the higher the shipping cost. Therefore, the cost of imported cigarettes may be higher than their Russian counterparts due to additional shipping costs. Furthermore, the cost of finished products can be affected by the logistics of materials used in production: if a large number of imported components are used, the cost of these components will be higher due to logistics costs.
What to Consider When Choosing
It’s worth noting that this is a discussion of factory-made cigarettes (the selection of tobacco for homemade tobacco products and hookahs is based on different criteria).
When choosing cigarettes, special attention should be paid not only to the quality of the tobacco itself, but also to the appearance of the cigarette and packaging.
Region of Tobacco Origin
A number of countries are recognized as world leaders in tobacco exports: Brazil, India, China, Turkey, the United States, and others. The climate in these regions is ideal for growing most types and varieties of tobacco used in cigarette production.
Cigarette Cut
Tobacco blends are produced using predominantly shredded leaf. It’s important that the tobacco leaf is shredded, meaning finely chopped, but not ground into a fine dust. To check the quality of the tobacco used in a cigarette, you can turn the cigarette upside down and gently shake it over a table—a high-quality product shouldn’t release any dust.
You can also evaluate the packing density—high-quality products can be crushed with your fingers, but only with force. There shouldn’t be any empty spaces inside that can be easily pressed.
Since Virginia tobacco is the predominant variety in cigarette tobacco, the cut of the blend should have a rich yellow-brown hue—a distinctive feature of this tobacco variety.
Packaging
Nowadays, not only premium tobacco products but also mid- and low-priced cigarettes are being counterfeited. There’s always a high risk of encountering a counterfeit product. Therefore, it’s important to understand what to look for in the packaging.
Original packaging always stands out for its high-quality printing, clear lines, and vibrant colors.
The original pack contains protective foil or special paper that tears precisely along the perforated line when opened.
Furthermore, counterfeits can often be identified by the filter—a cheaper acetate filter is used instead of the original.
Therefore, it can be said that there is currently a wide range of products in the affordable and mid-range segments that are comparable in quality to premium cigarettes. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to the key characteristics of quality products to ensure you buy only the original.