Tobacco Products

Retailers group urges govt to reassess excise duty on tobacco products

Federation of Retailer Association of India (FRAI) on Thursday expressed serious concerns over a steep increase in taxes of legal tobacco products, asking the government for a rethink in the interest of small retailers and prevent illegal operators from taking over the market. The demand from the association comes after the Finance Ministry notification of the Chewing Tobacco, Jarda Scented Tobacco and Gutkha Packing Machines (Capacity Determination and Collection of Duty) Rules, 2026 that have imposed an excise duty of Rs 2,050-8,500 per 1,000 sticks, depending on cigarette length, effective February 1. This development has caused widespread anxiety among small retailers, hawkers and pavement sellers who depend on daily consumption goods, particularly tobacco products, for their livelihoods, FRAI said in a statement. FRAI, which claims to represent about 80 lakh micro, small and medium retailers, cautioned that sudden, steep price increases in items of regular consumption have a ..

Duty hike on tobacco products will hurt farmers, fuel smuggling: FAIFA

The Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) on Friday said the government's move to levy additional excise duty on tobacco products will hurt farmers' income and exacerbate smuggling in a market already grappling with illicit trade. The finance ministry last month notified excise duties of Rs 2,050-8,500 per 1,000 cigarette sticks depending on length, effective February 1, under the Chewing Tobacco, Jarda Scented Tobacco and Gutkha Packing Machines (Capacity Determination and Collection of Duty) Rules, 2026. FAIFA, representing growers across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat, said the duty increase contradicts the government's assurances of revenue-neutral tax reform. "We are shocked to see that the promise has not been kept, and instead a sharp increase in taxes has been notified, at the cost of farmers' livelihoods," FAIFA President Murali Babu said in a statement. The farmers' body warned that higher retail prices will reduce legal cigarette consumpti

Explained: How tax regime on tobacco has changed in India since 2014

As the Centre scraps the GST compensation cess, here is how India's tobacco tax structure has evolved over the past decade

Explained: What's the Central Excise Bill, 2025 moved by govt in Lok Sabha?

The Bill was tabled earlier amid the Opposition's protest demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls

Godfrey Phillips soars 16% on turning ex-bonus, hits new life-time high

The stock of cigarettes & tobacco products company - Godfrey Phillips - turned ex-date for 2:1 bonus issue viz., 2 new bonus equity shares for every 1 existing equity share on Tuesday.

World No Tobacco Day: Theme, significance, history & facts you need to know

This year's theme-'Bright products. Dark intentions'-exposes how tobacco firms use flavours, design, and digital marketing to lure young users

16 member countries urge to include vapes in EU's tobacco tax law

Initiative, led by Netherlands, has support of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Slovenia and Portugal

Pan masala makers to pay fine from Oct if machines unregistered with taxmen

The government has notified October 1 as the date for implementation of the penalty provision for manufacturers of pan masala and similar tobacco products, if they fail to register their packing machinery with GST authorities. The GST Network had earlier in May and June notified two forms GST SRM-I and II for registering machines used by such manufacturers and to report inputs procured and corresponding outputs with tax authorities. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on August 6 notified October 1, 2024, as the date for levy of up to Rs 1 lakh penalty for failure to register their packing machines with GST authorities. In January, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had announced the introduction of a new registration and monthly return filing procedure to improve GST compliance for manufacturers of pan masala and tobacco products effective April 1. The date was later extended till May 15. The move to overhaul the registration, record-keeping

GST authorities: Penalty for Tobacco cos not registering packing machines

Manufacturers of pan masala, gutka and similar tobacco products will have to pay a penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh, if they fail to register their packing machinery with the GST authorities with effect from April 1. The move is intended to curb revenue leakage in the tobacco manufacturing sector. The Finance Bill, 2024, introduced amendments to the Central GST Act, where a penalty of Rs 1 lakh would be levied for every machine not registered. Further, such non-compliant machinery would face the risk of seizure and confiscation in certain cases. Based on the recommendation of the GST Council, the tax authorities had last year notified a special procedure for registration of machines by tobacco manufacturers. The details of existing packing machines, newly-installed machines, along with the packing capacity of these machines, have to be furnished in Form GST SRM-I. However, there was no penalty notified for the same. Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra said the GST Council in an earlier .

Smoking killing 1.3 million in 7 countries including India annually: Lancet

Over 1.3 million lives are lost every year to cancers caused by smoking tobacco across seven countries, including India, according to a study published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine journal. Researchers found that together, the seven countries -- India, China, the UK, Brazil, Russia, the US and South Africa -- represented more than half of the global burden of cancer deaths every year. They noted that smoking, as well as three other preventable risk factors -- alcohol, obesity, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections -- caused almost two million deaths combined. The study, carried out by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and Kings College London, UK, also analysed the years of life lost to cancer. The researchers concluded that the four preventable risk factors resulted in over 30 million years of life lost each year. Smoking tobacco had by far the biggest impact - leading to 20.8 million years of l

Akshay Kumar's Vimal U-turn is not in good taste, say brand experts

Given Kumar's passion for fitness, the endorsement was peculiar from the get-go, brand experts say

FRAI urges PM to order recall of proposed changes in law on cigarettes

Federation of Retailer Association of India, a representative body of micro, small and medium retailers urged PM to order recall of proposed amendments in law on cigarettes and other tobacco products

ITC continues to underperform but analysts say the stock is attractive

A tax overhang and ESG concerns over cigarettes have been among key factors hurting investor sentiment

ITC's appetite for staples grows as it moves away from tobacco

The company is betting on its non-cigarette FMCG portfolio to deliver growth and convince the markets that it is moving away from its tobacco dependence

Karnataka may bring in law banning tobacco products to curb drug menace: CM

Karnataka may bring anordinance to ban the sale of tobacco, gutkha and paan masala over fears of drugs being sold in paan masala pouches, CM B S Yediyurappa told Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday.

Saddled with Rs 1,700 cr stocks, farmers demand restart of tobacco auctions

Urge govt to direct Tobacco Board to coordinate with FCV tobacco manufacturers, exporters and traders to facilitate reasonable prices at pre-covid level at these auctions

ITC shares fall 6% amid concerns on stake sale, possible tax hikes

Shares of Axis Bank also fell as much as 5.4 per cent, but recouped most of the losses to end just 0.2 per cent lower

Controversial Computer Baba faces a tough time with regime change in MP

The Bharatiya Janata Party government has started curtailing the facilities accorded to him

Ahead of GST meet, FICCI body calls for retaining rates on tobacco products

Currently, GST rate on these products are 28 per cent while cess varies between 61 to 204 per cent

Govt's e-cigarette ban faces first legal challenge in Kolkata court

The government banned the sale, import and manufacture of e-cigarettes this month and warned of an "epidemic" among young people