1 in 4 Irish people have bought products from the black market in the last year 

A fifth of smokers are buying untaxed and unregulated vapes, cigarettes and tobacco from illicit sources 

Dublin, Ireland – April 8

A quarter of Irish people have purchased black market products in the past twelve months, according to a new consumer poll, commissioned by representative body, Retailers Against Smuggling. The findings highlight the widespread use of illegal black market products in Ireland – with 1 in 4 consumers buying unregulated and untaxed items including TV subscription services (dodgy boxes); coal and other fuels; drugs, medicines and supplements; alcohol; vaping products; and cigarettes and rolling tobacco. 

The poll of more than 1500 people, carried out by Ireland Thinks, asked Irish consumers how often they purchased products from illicit or unofficial sources. The main findings of the poll include: 

• 25% of the population have knowingly purchased goods or services from an Illicit source in the past 12 months. 
• 37% of all those who bought cigarettes, tobacco or vapes in the past 12 months would be open to buying from unofficial or irregular sources if the price was substantially lower than the legal market price. 
• 19% of all those who bought cigarettes, tobacco or vapes in the past 12 months have knowingly purchased them from an unofficial or irregular seller in that period. 

In the first three months of 2024, Revenue have made 17 major seizures of tobacco across Ireland representing a value of €43.6m and a loss to the Exchequer of €34m. The total value of seizures in 2023 was €58m.  

Last year, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) seized 900,000 dosage units of falsified and illegal medicines, which included sedatives, anabolic steroids. 

Currently, the government doesn’t track seizures of illicit vapes, and RAS believes this issue to be a growing problem with the pervasiveness of non-compliant and illegal vapes on sale that do not meet regulatory specifications. Retailers Against Smuggling call on the government to begin tracking seizures of illegal vapes so we can fully understand the extent of this illicit market.  

The 75c hike in excise in last October’s Government Budget pushed the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes to €16.75, with rolling tobacco costing on average €23.30. With prices on the black market reportedly around €5-6, it threatens the business of local retailers, which has already drastically shrunk in recent years. 

RAS spokesperson, Benny Gilsenan, said: “It’s no surprise that these products are being sold all over the country, but their prevalence is shocking. This shows that there is a shadow economy operating under our noses and is allowed to continue with impunity. We’ve seen the illegal cigarette trade skyrocket in recent years and the same will happen for alcohol, fuels and medicines if drastic measures aren’t taken immediately. Despite the great work of Revenue, they are obviously underequipped to properly combat the illicit market.”