• Philip Morris International-backed KPMG study estimates EU illicit cigarettes rose 7% in 2025 to 42 billion, or 10.3% of consumption.
• Lost EU tax revenue estimated at EUR 16.7 billion; illicit volumes across 38 European countries reached 55 billion, implying EUR 22.4 billion loss.
• Counterfeits became the largest EU illicit source at 18 billion cigarettes, or 44% of illicit demand; volumes rose more than 20% year on year.
• France remained the biggest illicit market at 41.4% share; Belgium neared 25%; the Netherlands exceeded 22%, with Western Europe flagged as a key hub.
• Heated tobacco contraband measured at 1.2% in selected markets; no counterfeit flows identified, while restricted oral nicotine markets showed elevated non-compliant availability.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Philip Morris International Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 20260603799047) on June 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.