Chaos in Jordanian tobacco market following tax increase
Jordanian tobacco market experienced significant turmoil in pricing following the government's decision to raise tobacco taxes.
This move has sparked considerable debate among Jordanians and traders, with noticeable price discrepancies across different stores, creating an unstable market for smokers.
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Many Jordanians have reported price differences of up to JD1 or more for the same brand across various shops. There are accusations that some traders are exploiting the tax increase to make unjustified profits.
Amidst these issues, there are public calls for price regulation and standardization to prevent exploitation of the government's decision. Citizens are awaiting more effective measures from authorities to address these irregularities and stabilize the market.
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Last Thursday, the government, under former Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, approved an amended special tax system for 2024, adjusting tobacco taxes to align with the national strategy to combat tobacco and smoking in all forms.
The revision aims to curb the rapid spread of electronic smoking devices, particularly among children, and to address the disparities in taxes between traditional cigarettes and their alternatives.
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