Rolling tobacco remains one of the most scrutinized products by smokers traveling in Italy. Since the beginning of 2026, several Italian tax adjustments have changed the pricing structures, and the trend does not seem likely to reverse. Understanding these developments requires going beyond simply reading the prices displayed at tobacco shops to examine what is happening behind the scenes, between national taxation, pending European directives, and the rise of the parallel market.
Italian taxation on rolling tobacco: what changed in 2026
Italy raised its excise duties on tobacco at the beginning of 2026. These increases, which came into effect in stages, affect both manufactured cigarettes and rolling tobacco, although the mechanisms differ.
For rolling tobacco, the taxation is based on a mixed system: an ad valorem component (percentage of the selling price) and a specific component (fixed amount per kilogram). When the Italian state increases the specific component, the price of rolling tobacco mechanically increases, regardless of the manufacturer’s pricing policy.
Smokers tracking the price of rolling tobacco in Italy for 2026 notice that 30g pouches now cost significantly more than a year ago. The increase is not uniform: it varies by brand and format.
The Italian government justifies these increases with a dual objective: to increase tax revenues allocated to the healthcare system and to discourage consumption. Reports evaluating social security policies at the European level highlight that revenues from tobacco taxation increasingly weigh on social budgets, which fuels upward pressure on prices.
European directive on tobacco: why prices could rise further
Beyond Italian taxation, another variable affects the future of prices: the revision of the European directive on tobacco taxation. The European Commission has proposed particularly marked increases in minimum excise duties, with increases of around +139% on cigarettes and +258% on smoking tobacco expected by 2028.
These figures, reported by France Inter, are not yet finalized. Negotiations between member states are still ongoing, and several countries are holding back. In the short term, the automatic European regulatory pressure on Italian prices remains limited.
However, if this directive is eventually adopted, even in a softened version, the impact on rolling tobacco sold in Italy would be considerable. Cheap pouches, which attract cross-border buyers, would see their price advantage diminish compared to France or Belgium.
Parallel market and contraction of legal sales: the warning signal
Price increases do not always translate into a decrease in consumption. They can also redirect demand towards illicit channels. This is documented by Le Monde du Tabac for the French market: official tobacco sales are declining while actual consumption is not decreasing at the same rate.
This gap between declining legal volumes and stable consumption signals a rise in the parallel market. The phenomenon is particularly visible in border regions, where cross-border purchases and smuggling coexist.
Italy is not spared. With land borders open to Switzerland, Slovenia, and Austria, and a Mediterranean coastline conducive to informal flows, the country faces the same dynamics. For rolling tobacco, a lighter and easier-to-transport product than cigarette packs, the risk of substitution by the black market increases with each stage of tax hikes.
- Official tobacco sales in Europe have been declining for several years, but actual consumption is decreasing less rapidly than reported volumes.
- Rolling tobacco, being more compact and cheaper per gram, is particularly exposed to parallel circuits.
- The available data does not allow for precise quantification of the illicit market share in Italy for 2026, but feedback from Italian tobacconists indicates an erosion of their customer base.
What this means for the buyer
A smoker buying rolling tobacco in Italy in 2026 pays more than in 2024, but still less than in France. The price gap between the two countries remains a driver of cross-border purchases, particularly for residents of southeastern France.
The question is how long this gap will hold. If Italy continues to raise its excise duties at the current rate, and if the European directive eventually imposes higher minimums, the Italian price advantage could significantly diminish within two to three years.
Quotas and customs rules: what you can legally bring back
Buying tobacco in Italy to bring back to France is legal, within the limits set by European customs regulations. For rolling tobacco, the allowance is set at 250 grams per person for personal use.
Beyond this threshold, French customs may consider it a commercial purchase. Penalties range from confiscation of the tobacco to fines proportional to the value of the goods.
- Tobacco must be transported by the person themselves, not shipped by parcel.
- Purchases must be strictly for personal use.
- Customs checks focus on border roadways, particularly between Ventimiglia and Menton.
- No proof of purchase is required below the threshold, but keeping the receipt is advisable.
The regulatory framework has not changed in 2026 in this regard. The thresholds remain the same as in previous years, despite ongoing discussions in the European Parliament about a possible lowering of allowances.
The price of rolling tobacco in Italy is likely to continue increasing in the coming months, driven by national fiscal policy and the prospect of a tightening at the European level. For cross-border buyers, the savings remain real in 2026, but they are shrinking. Monitoring price updates before each trip avoids unpleasant surprises at the tobacco shop.