Cigarette scarcity leaves smokers high and dry

Manama : Scarcity of cigarette has hit smokers in the Kingdom as demand increased dramatically in the local market following price rise in Saudi Arabia.

Residents from Saudi Arabia have been buying cigarettes in larger quantities in Bahrain after the Saudi Government imposed a selective tax on unhealthy products including tobacco.

According to sources, many visitors from Saudi Arabia have made it a habit to buy cigarettes from Bahrain after price of cigarettes increased in Saudi Arabia considerably. 

“We have seen a huge increase in demand for cigarettes, this is mainly due to customers from Saudi Arabia buying it from here since the prices are now higher over there. Most of these customers are regular visitors to Bahrain so they utilize their trips here to buy it. They buy from super markets and cold-stores but not directly from the suppliers. Most of them buy more than five packets to take back home,” said a representative from Mandeel Coldstore in Hidd. 

“There have been an increase in demand for cigarettes in the past few weeks. The increase in demand started two weeks ago. In the first week it was not as bad but since the past week, cigarettes products are scarce in the market,” said a representative from Ahmed Cold Store. 

“The distributors are telling us that they are unable to give us more stock because they have a limitations. When the demand increases dramatically they are unable to do anything,” a worker from Food world supermarket said.

Rumours have also spread that cigarette prices in Bahrain will also be increased,  pushing up demand. 

“There isn’t any reliable evidence to indicate that the price hike will happen in Bahrain. The rumour is based on the fact that Saudi Arabia has hiked prices and so Bahrain would follow suit,” said a shopkeeper