Dunhill and Benson & Hedges Cigarettes Cost Rs 10 More in Mauritius
A pack of Dunhill or Benson & Hedges cigarettes now costs Rs 350 in Mauritius, up from Rs 340, confirmed across multiple regions.
Smokers in Mauritius are paying more for their cigarettes after two of the country's most popular brands quietly raised their retail prices. A pack of Dunhill or Benson & Hedges now costs Rs 350, up from Rs 340, a rise of Rs 10 per pack.
The price increase was confirmed by ION News across at least three separate locations on the island. Reporters found the new price in two shops in Curepipe, a central plateau town, at a retailer near the Victoria Urban Terminal (VUT) in Port Louis, the island's capital and main transport hub, and in Rose-Belle, a town in the south-east of the island.
The increase appears to have taken effect uniformly across different retail outlets and regions, suggesting it reflects a decision made at the distributor or importer level rather than individual shop pricing.
Dunhill and Benson & Hedges are among the most widely sold cigarette brands in Mauritius, manufactured internationally by British American Tobacco (BAT). Mauritius imports finished tobacco products and applies excise duties on cigarettes, which are periodically revised through the national budget. Any increase in import costs, excise adjustments or distributor margins can flow through to the shelf price consumers pay.
It is not yet confirmed whether this latest rise is linked to a formal regulatory or budgetary measure, or whether it reflects a commercial pricing decision by the local distributor.
What this means: For regular smokers, a Rs 10 rise per pack adds up quickly. Someone buying a pack a day would spend an extra Rs 300 per month, or Rs 3,650 over a year. With a pack now at Rs 350, a daily smoker spends roughly Rs 10,500 a month on cigarettes alone. Health advocates in Mauritius have long argued that higher tobacco prices are one of the most effective tools to reduce smoking rates, particularly among younger people and lower-income groups. Whether this increase is enough to change behaviour is debatable, but it continues a broader trend of tobacco becoming more expensive on the island.
Mauritius has tobacco control regulations aligned with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which the country ratified. These include restrictions on advertising, plain packaging requirements and taxation policy designed to discourage consumption.
Source: ION News
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pack of cigarettes cost in Mauritius now?β
A pack of Dunhill or Benson & Hedges cigarettes now retails at Rs 350 in Mauritius, up from the previous price of Rs 340. The new price has been confirmed in Curepipe, Port Louis and Rose-Belle.
Why have cigarette prices gone up in Mauritius?β
The exact cause of this Rs 10 increase has not been officially confirmed. Cigarette prices in Mauritius can rise due to excise duty changes announced in the national budget, higher import costs or commercial decisions by the local distributor of British American Tobacco brands.
Which cigarette brands are affected by the price increase in Mauritius?β
The confirmed price increase applies to Dunhill and Benson & Hedges, two of the most widely sold cigarette brands in Mauritius, both distributed locally under the British American Tobacco (BAT) portfolio.
From Our Network
Find Property in Mauritius
Search Listings β
π§ Breaking alerts straight to your inbox