UK Cigar taxes

[PeeJay]

@akyprianou Perhaps it's an intentional strategy to keep cigars as an exclusive and luxury item in the UK?

I could afford to smoke a few singles at UK prices and perhaps treat myself to a box every now and again but it's certainly a luxury.

Look across the pond to the US and it seems much more of an everyman pursuit.

In the early 20th century its estimated that 90% of American men smoked cigars according to a book I read

[gojira]

Those prices hurt. Crazy that UK retailers can price cigars however they like. Prices in France, Germany and Spain are regulated by the government, thus they are the same in each store. In Germany however they are allowed to discount boxes up to 3%. What's also interesting is that Cohiba's are now cheaper in France than in Germany.

[ha_banos]

But EMS means we get the absolute best cigars in the world!!

So if its not just down to taxes. Then what? The NC that are not supplied by H&F? How to the prices fare?

Opus X Robusto currently 759.99?... eye watering.

Its simpler I guess as there's one less link in that chain. So then there's cost of being in London/UK cost of delivery services? What about business taxes? (Amazon don't have this to worry about...)

Would take a bit more digging to get to understand better whats going on.

And how do UK prices compare against other product types? Just about everything is more expensive here right?

#costofbusiness

[gojira]

But EMS means we get the absolute best cigars in the world!!

Really? How are they any better than those you can buy in Germany for instance. It's just a sticker saying that the cigars passed the quality control. 5th Avenue have a similar sticker on all boxes they distribute to the German, Austrian and Polish market. Most if not all European distributors have a quality control, some apply a sticker, others don't. In the end it's hard to believe that a CoRo purchased in the UK is any better than one purchased in Italy or Spain.

[SHAMZ84]

in recent days i've come to a conclusion that the prices are high because of the B&M...with the recent release of the Talisman where one shop in the UK can sell it for 460ish and others are selling at ?600 surely the the vendors and H&F driving the price up..

?460 its similar prices in Germany but in Euros.

[Shaun]

Really? How are they any better than those you can buy in Germany for instance. It's just a sticker saying that the cigars passed the quality control. 5th Avenue have a similar sticker on all boxes they distribute to the German, Austrian and Polish market. Most if not all European distributors have a quality control, some apply a sticker, others don't. In the end it's hard to believe that a CoRo purchased in the UK is any better than one purchased in Italy or Spain.

I think he was being sarcastic

[ha_banos]

Really? How are they any better than those you can buy in Germany for instance. It's just a sticker saying that the cigars passed the quality control. 5th Avenue have a similar sticker on all boxes they distribute to the German, Austrian and Polish market. Most if not all European distributors have a quality control, some apply a sticker, others don't. In the end it's hard to believe that a CoRo purchased in the UK is any better than one purchased in Italy or Spain.

No! But they say so! So it must be true!

http://www.cigars.co.uk/ems/

"EMS stands for ‘English Market Selection’ and is a term that has been used in Cuba for over a century to identify the quality of cigars designated for the British market."

[gojira]

in recent days i've come to a conclusion that the prices are high because of the B&M...with the recent release of the Talisman where one shop in the UK can sell it for 460ish and others are selling at ?600 surely the the vendors and H&F driving the price up..

?460 its similar prices in Germany but in Euros.

Yes, even the Germans have gotten greedy with their Cohibas. But Cohiba themselves have recently raised their prices as well (worldwide).

[gojira]

I think he was being sarcastic

That's just me being German, so darn serious about everything....

[Wigan]

Very interesting reading guys. Does anyone have the slightest shread of evidence that the tactics is anything other than making more money? All these arguments about the class situation, surely just trying to market to the market with the biggest spending power?

[gojira]

No! But they say so! So it must be true!

http://www.cigars.co.uk/ems/

"EMS stands for ‘English Market Selection’ and is a term that has been used in Cuba for over a century to identify the quality of cigars designated for the British market."

Don't believe everything they tell you.

I might be wrong but I can't believe that there's a guy in some warehouse in Cuba checking thousand of boxes and saying this one is nice so let's send it to the UK, this one sucks let's send it to Greece and so on.

[Wigan]

in recent days i've come to a conclusion that the prices are high because of the B&M...with the recent release of the Talisman where one shop in the UK can sell it for 460ish and others are selling at ?600 surely the the vendors and H&F driving the price up..

?460 its similar prices in Germany but in Euros.

I personally thought this was amazing and must surely force a change in the UK market in general. A situation where I can buy in UK for closer to what we generally pay for cigars certainly appeals. Add up all the extra possible charges and outcomes of how we usually get cigars and paying the same price in pounds as we would in euro doesn't sound too bad to me.

[ha_banos]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3EBs7sCOzo

Don't believe everything they tell you.

I might be wrong but I can't believe that there's a guy in some warehouse in Cuba checking thousand of boxes and saying this one is nice so let's send it to the UK, this one sucks let's send it to Greece and so on.

[SHAMZ84]

I personally thought this was amazing and must surely force a change in the UK market in general. A situation where I can buy in UK for closer to what we generally pay for cigars certainly appeals. Add up all the extra possible charges and outcomes of how we usually get cigars and paying the same price in pounds as we would in euro doesn't sound too bad to me.

i totally agree...if prices where that similar why take the risk. when you can have a EMS box for a slight premium rather than double in price

[gojira]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3EBs7sCOzo

Yeah, that sums it up.

But I managed to escape Germany in 1990, so I have become a little like the French since then and complain a lot nowadays.....