“Tobacco has become a luxury product”: the president of Gard tobacconists stands up against illicit sales

Ghislaine Mazoyer, présidente de la Fédération des buralistes du Gard, dénonce la vente de tabac illicite.

Ghislaine Mazoyer, president of the Gard Tobacconists' Federation, announces an action on Monday, February 3 in Nîmes. She continues with her colleagues the fight against the sale of illicit tobacco and regrets a new price increase.

This Monday, February 3, at 11:30 a.m., the Gard Tobacconists' Federation is mobilizing at the Sernam roundabout to demand an emergency plan against tobacco trafficking. Why are you taking action one year after the first actions ?

This will not be the last. It is in line with what we put in place last year, except that the situation is currently deteriorating sharply since the last increases in the price of a packet of cigarettes (two increases on January 1st and February 1st, Editor's note). It all started with the Ile de France tobacconists' federation. We told them that we would be happy to join them. Last year, there were a few isolated departments that were taking action.

Around sixty departments are following the movement in 2025. We chose the same day for the action, the demands, the same leaflets. There needs to be osmosis to get elected officials moving as much as possible. The mobilization will be significant in the Paris region, in Lyon and in Occitanie. Locally, we want to reach everyone.

Where are you locally in your fight to denounce the sale of tobacco ?

We are trying in vain to get an appointment at the Nîmes town hall. The deputy for security, Mr. Schieven, has agreed to meet us, I am waiting. I invited him to come to our mobilization, which would be logical. Nîmes is affected by the sale of illegal tobacco.

What I mean is that we have the impression that the municipality thinks when we are against it. This is not the case. We sent emails to all the mayors of Gard so that they come. We will see how the elected officials closest to the ground see how things are going. We just want things to move.

You were looking favorably on the prefect's decisions to close down businesses that sell tobacco illegally. Do you consider that going far enough ?

The prefect has made good progress on the checks, but what is a little regrettable is the one-month closure of shops. That is very little. I think there is a three-month closure, maximum. The tobacconists would like the Nîmes town hall to work on this issue jointly with the police. Something needs to be done about these shop openings. In Nîmes, we don't even have fifty tobacconists but more than 80 businesses such as grocery stores, payphones, street vendors… Behind them, this is what we told the elected officials, hides an almost mafia-like network.

Does the fact that the price of tobacco is increasing lead to an increase in thefts and hold-ups at tobacconists' shops? ?

There are robberies because tobacco, at the price it is, has become almost a luxury product. A carton of cigarettes sells for between €120 and €130. It is much easier to sell and much less punished than if it were drugs. Even though we are protected, we have seen an increase in robberies. This is also the case in Vaucluse. On February 13, the gendarmerie is offering a half-day of awareness-raising so that tobacconists have the right actions to anticipate, look carefully, and be vigilant, including for online scams.

What does the sale of tobacco represent for tobacconists in the 21st century? ?

Before, it was 80% of our sales, but now for some it represents 50%. We don't blame our customers who go where it's cheaper, but the State. If we want people to stop smoking, we have to put €13 on every packet. We live next to borders with countries that sell their cigarettes at lower prices. […] With the future budget, we're afraid of having new increases. If we have aid for the transformation of our tobacconists, we must finance 70% of the work, find a bank that is willing to help.

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