Sales of traditional cigarettes gained 5.7 percent on-year to 730 million packs for the first quarter. (Yonhap)
SEJONG, April 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Sales of cigarettes in South Korea rose 4.1 percent on-year in the first quarter of this year, data showed Wednesday, due to robust sales of traditional cigarettes.
South Korean smokers purchased 810 million 20-cigarette packs in the January-March period, compared with 780 million packs in the same period last year, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The figure represents a 13.6 percent drop from the third quarter of 2014.
South Korea increased the price of cigarettes by 80 percent in January 2015, from 2,500 won (US$2) per pack to 4,500 won, in a move to curb smoking.
The Korean government mandated that tobacco companies place graphic images depicting the harmful effects of smoking on the upper part of cigarette packs in 2016.
Sales of traditional cigarettes gained 5.7 percent on-year to 730 million packs for the first quarter.
Meanwhile, sales of heat-not-burn tobacco products fell to their lowest level to 300,000 packs in the first quarter.
Sales of vaporizer-based liquid electronic cigarettes also fell to their lowest level to 900,000 pods in the first quarter as the government strongly advised people not to use liquid e-cigarettes, warning that such vaping products could cause serious lung illness or death.
(Yonhap)
