Germany facing cigarette deficit – media

A shortage of cigarette packaging paper could affect smokers in Germany, with some brands almost impossible to find in retail stores, Bild newspaper reported on Friday.

According to the paper, one of the causes for the problem was the shutdown of a Philip Morris plant for the production of cigarette packs in Ukraine. The tobacco giant had previously suspended operations in the country, including at its factory in Kharkov, where, until recently, a considerable part of the paper for cigarette packs was produced. The company owns popular cigarette brands such as Marlboro and L&M.

“Due to the tense situation in the world markets for raw materials and the shortage of cardboard packaging, there may indeed be a shortage [of cigarette packs],” a Philip Morris spokesman told the newspaper. “We are continuously adjusting our supply chains,” he added.

According to the German wholesalers interviewed by Bild, the deficit is especially acute with varieties of Marlboro cigarettes like Red and Gold. It is expected to be more difficult for smokers who prefer to buy cigarettes in vending machines, where the Marlboro brand is almost completely sold out.

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