Eastern Company issues new cigarette prices

CAIRO – 23 November 2017: State-owned Eastern Company amended the prices of its cigarette products to be applied as of Thursday based on the latest amendments of Value-Added Tax (VAT).

Chairman of the company Mohamed Othman Haroun said that the prices of cigarettes will increase by LE 2-3 per pack under the new amendments.

Eastern Company’s cigarettes are now sold at the following prices:
• Cleopatra Queen at LE 14.5 up from LE 12.5 per pack
• Cleopatra King Size at LE 14 up from LE 11.5
• Mondial and Boston at LE 15 up from LE 12
• Super and Golden West at LE 17 up from LE 15
• Black Ball from at LE 18 up from LE 16
The Parliament approved Tuesday a draft law submitted by the government to amend the VAT Law so as to increase cigarettes and hookah prices.

In a response to the decision, the Ministry of Interior launched a crackdown campaign on stocks and shops of cigarettes, arresting 15,103 smuggled packs.

The new prices of cigarettes will increase budget revenues by LE 4 billion ($226.4 million) by the end of fiscal year 2016/17, Minister of Finance Amr al-Garhy announced Tuesday.

“The expected revenues will be directed to health, education and social security programs, in addition to financing the budget deficit,” he added, noting that the new prices will help decrease cigarettes consumption.