Some cigarette brands to cost more tomorrow

A tobacco firm has announced today it is passing on the cost of GST to smokers, raising the price of its premium and sub-premium cigarettes. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, June 28, 2015.

Tobacco firm British American Tobacco (BAT) has finally revised its cigarette prices, effective tomorrow, to absorb the goods and services tax (GST) after a short-lived rate increase in April.

BAT raised prices in early April by 50 sen for their premium cigarettes, shortly after GST came into effect, but the move was scrapped soon after and tobacco prices returned to pre-GST rates.

But after absorbing the cost for close to three months, BAT in a statement today announced a 30 sen increase for its premium and sub-premium cigarettes.

That means a pack of Dunhill will cost RM13.80 compared with its current price, RM13.50.

"The price revision today is to take into account the GST," said Stefano Clini, BAT managing director.

In April, BAT briefly raised the price of Dunhill to RM14 a pack.

The previous price increase was made in November last year, when BAT hiked prices by RM1.50 for every cigarette pack, pushing up Dunhill's price from RM12 a pack to RM13.50.