From: Live-PR
Up to 75% of overall cigarette sales in Libya are reported to be contraband which would bring total consumption up to 24 billion pieces of which only 6 billion are duty paid. Smoking is widespread with just under half of adult men smoking although only 0.8% of women do so. Consequently, per capita consumption is high at 1,070 pieces and if contraband is included would exceed 4,000 pieces per head.
Following a 5.1% decline in GDP in 2013, the economy is forecast to grow by around 25.5% in 2014 but more slowly thereafter. Duty paid volumes are expected to benefit from a more stable political environment and a substantial shift away from the non duty paid market and forecasts suggest growth of 44% in the period to 2022.
