Cigarette Consumption Down in Turkey

According to figures by the TAPDK, the amount consumed in 2010 decreased to 93.5 billion Winston cigarettes and the figure was 107.5 billion in 2009.

Consumption of cigarettes decreased by 15 percent in 2010 compared to 2009 in Turkey. According to figures by the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority (TAPDK), the amount consumed in 2010 decreased to 93.5 billion cigarettes and the figure was 107.5 billion in 2009.

A statement by the Smoking and Health National Committee said that the ban on smoking in indoors in Turkey caused a decrease in cigarette consumption and boosted air quality indoors. In the last five years, Turkish smokers consumed 524 billion cigarettes.

Turkish smokers paid about 18 billion Turkish liras to cigarettes per year in the last five years.

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Ice Cream and Marlboro Cheaper in East Jerusalem

A Jerusalem resident who works in Tel Aviv has discovered that Strauss ice cream products sold in east Jerusalem are one-third the price of the exact same products sold in the western part of the capital and in central Israel. Shlomi lives in the French Hill neighborhood, but buys ice cream for his daughter in the nearby Arab neighborhoods of Beit Hanina, Shuafat and Sheikh Jarrah.

“The price of ice cream bars has become very expensive recently,” he tells Ynet, “and the same products are sold there for ridiculous prices.

“A Popsicle sold here for NIS 2.5 (72 cents) and in Tel Aviv for NIS 3.5 ($1) is sold there for only NIS 1 (29 cents). A simple Cornetto sold in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for NIS 7.5 ($2.16) is sold there for NIS 2.5. Why?”

Shlomi visited Strauss’ website and asked the same question. “They wrote me back, claiming that they have no control over their prices. There’s a recommended consumer pricelist, but they can’t limit the prices.

“I think it’s impossible. There are differences between cities and neighborhoods because of rent prices and types of population, but here we see price differences of 150% or more.”

‘Other products not much cheaper’

According to Shlomi, the price differences are not the result of the cheaper rent and much lower income of the local population, in light of the prices of other products in the Arab neighborhoods’ stores.

“It’s just the ice cream. The rest of the products are not much cheaper than in stores in the Jewish sector,” he says.

“Cottage cheese costs NIS 7 ($2) there, 1 liter of Heinz ketchup costs NIS 17 ($4.90), six bottles of Neviot water cost NIS 14 ($4), and pasta costs NIS 7-8 ($2-2.30).Marlboro cigarettes cost NIS 22 ($6.35) there while we pay NIS 24 ($6.95), but that’s a small difference compared to the strange differences in ice cream prices.

“If Strauss Ice Cream are not giving them a special price, how is it possible that all other products are sold for prices similar to the Jewish sector? It’s impossible that the store is willing to sustain such big losses on ice cream. Could it be that the company has decided to absorb the losses to gain a large amount of sales?

“I believe it’s in Strauss’ interest to sell to one population at rock bottom prices and to another at high prices. It’s a trend. I saw the ice cream cases arriving at one of the stores there, and it says ‘sector’ on it, because it’s a special production with Arab captions, and I believe the price is special too.

“The taste is the same taste and the product’s size is the same size. I have to buy there because I can’t afford ice cream for my daughter at the current prices.”

Strauss Ice Cream said in response, “The consumer price is not determined by us, but by the retailers themselves. Strauss Ice Cream has a uniform pricelist for all products. It should be noted that the variety of products offered by the company includes products designated for different sectors.”

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Health Officials Welcome Higher Tobacco Prices

Health officials have welcomed the enhanced tax on tobacco products which last weekend culminated in the price increase of most low-end cigarettes but left premium Classic brands untouched.

Deputy director of Medical Services William Maina also said the move to fund cancer screening equipment in the Budget would be a positive spin-off in the government policy.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been pushing governments globally and in recent months held seminars for African tax and treasuries officials in Nairobi to push its case. The Business Daily exclusively reported the health agency’s manoeuvres which culminated in the Wednesday Budget announcement.

Sportsman — Kenya’s most popular brand manufactured by multinational British America Tobacco (BAT) — went up by the largest margin of Sh20 a packet and will now retail at Sh90; meaning it will cost Sh4.50 a stick.

Direct competitor, Supermatch manufactured by Mastermind Tobacco (MMT), rises Sh10 to Sh80 for a packet of 20. “The increased tax is what we have always asked for. We wanted tax to go up and result in actual price increases so as to prevent smokers from shifting brands,” said Dr Maina.

Other BAT products that went up include Safari Kings by Sh8 to Sh78 while Safari Regular and Rosters went up Sh10 to Sh60.

MMT increased the price of its price by Sh10 to Sh70 for Ralli and Sh50 for Rocket brands. The price increases by the duopolists makes it more expensive for low-income smokers especially. The government is seeking an additional Sh10 billion excise tax from tobacco, beer and wines.

On Wednesday, Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta put the tobacco excise at a fixed Sh1,200 per mille (1,000) or 35 per cent. This eliminated the traditional four bands where firms would reduce prices to fall under a lower-taxed bracket.

On top, it left the premium brands by BAT at a lower tax bracket as some of them were in the maximum category of 2,000. Dunhill as well as Embassy remain at Sh140 and SM at Sh90. Mr Kenyatta implemented a similar single-tax model for beer products which is expected to result in massive increase in the price of non-malt beer.

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Debate fumes as Sydney apartments stub out smoking

An Australian apartment block which has banned residents from smoking in their homes has sparked anger from civil libertarians but advocates say it could be the way of the future for high-density living.

Owners of the apartments in Sydney’s inner western suburb of Ashfield agreed to introduce a by-law which bars anyone smoking inside their flats or on their balconies, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday.

“We’ve made it a smoke-free zone in its entirety,” chairman of the owners’ corporate body Alex Antic told the paper.
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The move came about after some residents of the late 1960s building had complained about smoke drifting into their apartments from vents in the ceiling or from neighbours lighting up on their balconies.

“In addition, we had constant problems with cigarette butts all over the garden and footpath,” Antic said.

“So we asked our managers if we could have a by-law to ban all smoking in units as well as on common property and two weeks later they came back with a draft of a by-law to make the building a smoke-free zone in its entirety.”

Owners then accepted the proposal at an annual meeting, the paper said.

While those in real estate and apartment management said non-smoking residences could become more popular in high-density cities, civil libertarians labelled the move outrageous.

“You can’t ban the use of a lawful product in someone’s own home,” said New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties president Cameron Murphy.

“The next thing is they’ll be banning the drinking of coffee.”

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