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CONFIRMEDFriday 14 August 2026

The JTI Ireland Empty Pack Survey states the exact figure is 57%.The "almost 60%" formulation used by The…

Checked against Retail News.

As published

5 pages captured at the time, in each outlet's own typography. Open one to read the copy held outside the publisher's control.

anglocelt.ie as published: Sixty per cent of cigarette packs avoided Irish tax, research findsanglocelt.ie2026-08-13 14:08:52leinsterleader.ie as published: New research finds 51% of cigarette packs in Naas avoided Irish taxleinsterleader.ie2026-08-13 14:08:52retailnews.ie as published: New Research finds 57% of cigarette packs in Ireland avoided Irish taxretailnews.ie2026-08-13 15:17:53roscommonherald.ie as published: New research finds 53% of cigarette packs in Athlone avoided Irish taxroscommonherald.ie2026-08-13 14:08:52thurles.info as published: Survey Finds 57% Of Discarded Cigarette Packs Had No Irish Duty Paidthurles.info2026-08-15 13:46:00
Same storyLater: A survey of discarded cigarette packs commissioned by Japan Tobacco International Ireland Earlier: A survey commissioned by JTI Ireland found that 57% of cigarette packs surveyed nationwideEach entry records what was published on its own date and is not edited afterwards.

What this entry found

  • CONFIRMED

    The €758 Million Figure: This is the exact statistic released under official Irish Government figures to map…

    Checked against Connacht Tribune.the document

  • CONFIRMED

    JTI Ireland's 2026 Empty Pack Survey analyzed 5,000 discarded packs across 22 major Irish towns and cities…

    Checked against Dundalk Democrat.the document

  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    Opening summary statistic for national non-Irish duty-paid rate

    • anglocelt.ie (almost 60%)
    • leinsterleader.ie (57% stated in body)
    • retailnews.ie (57%)
    • roscommonherald.ie (53% for Athlone only, 57% implied nationwide)
  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    Counterfeits as a subset of NIDP packs vs. counterfeits as part of the 14% category

    • leinsterleader.ie (states 'Of this total, 14% were illegal counterfeit cigarettes',…
    • retailnews.ie (states 'Of this total, 14% were illegal counterfeit cigarettes', implying…
    • roscommonherald.ie (states 'Of this total, one-tenth (10%) were illegal counterfeit…
    • thurles.info (states 'Fourteen per cent of all packs examined were identified as…

1 further finding below ↓

5independent outlets
What happened, for context

A survey of discarded cigarette packs in Irish towns and cities, commissioned by JTI Ireland, found that 57% of packs nationwide lacked evidence of Irish tax payment. The survey identified 14% of all packs as counterfeit products. Since 2018, JTI Ireland claims the Irish exchequer has lost €5 billion in tax revenue to non-Irish duty-paid products, with €1 billion lost in 2025 alone.

Who reported it

  • anglocelt.ieUNCLASSIFIED
  • leinsterleader.ieUNCLASSIFIED
  • retailnews.ieUNCLASSIFIED
  • roscommonherald.ieUNCLASSIFIED
  • thurles.infoUNCLASSIFIED

References

Carried by multiple outlets

  • The survey was conducted on behalf of JTI Ireland (Japan Tobacco International)anglocelt.ie, leinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, roscommonherald.ie, thurles.info
  • 57% of cigarette packs surveyed nationwide were non-Irish duty paid (NIDP)leinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, thurles.info
  • 14% of cigarette packs surveyed were illegal counterfeit cigarettesanglocelt.ie, leinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, roscommonherald.ie, thurles.info
  • Since 2018, the Irish exchequer lost approximately €5 billion in tax revenue to NIDP productsleinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, roscommonherald.ie
  • Around €1 billion was lost in 2025 alone to NIDP productsanglocelt.ie, leinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, roscommonherald.ie
  • According to Government figures, €758 million was lost to illegal tobacco productsleinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, roscommonherald.ie
  • and 5 more, not shown

Reported by one outlet only

  • Almost 60% of cigarette packs discovered in Ireland avoided Irish tax (anglocelt.ie's opening formulation, contrasting with other outlets' 57%)only anglocelt.ie
  • JTI Ireland claims that since 2018, the Irish exchequer lost around €5 billion in tax revenue, with around €1 billion lost in 2025 alone (anglocelt.ie attributes these figures explicitly to JTI Ireland's claims)only anglocelt.ie
  • The Government's own figures show that illegal tobacco products cost the state over €750 million in lost taxes in 2025 alone (Daan van Hamersveld quote, appearing in anglocelt.ie)only anglocelt.ie
  • 51% of cigarette packs surveyed in Naas in 2026 were non-Irish duty paidonly leinsterleader.ie
  • 48% of cigarette packs surveyed in Leixlip were non-Irish duty paidonly leinsterleader.ie
  • 16% of cigarette packs surveyed in Leixlip were counterfeitonly leinsterleader.ie

Reported unevenly

  • Opening summary statistic for national non-Irish duty-paid ratestated by anglocelt.ie (almost 60%), leinsterleader.ie (57% stated in body), retailnews.ie (57%), roscommonherald.ie (53% for Athlone only, 57% implied nationwide), thurles.info (57%)
  • Counterfeits as a subset of NIDP packs vs. counterfeits as part of the 14% categorystated by leinsterleader.ie (states 'Of this total, 14% were illegal counterfeit cigarettes', implying 14% of the 57% NIDP), retailnews.ie (states 'Of this total, 14% were illegal counterfeit cigarettes', implying 14% of the 57% NIDP), roscommonherald.ie (states 'Of this total, one-tenth (10%) were illegal counterfeit cigarettes' for Athlone; separately states 'Nationwide, the survey revealed counterfeit cigarettes made up 14%'), thurles.info (states 'Fourteen per cent of all packs examined were identified as counterfeit')

Not yet confirmed against a primary source

  • JTI Ireland Empty Pack Survey 2026: Five outlets report 57% as the nationwide non-Irish duty-paid rate, but anglocelt.ie opens with 'almost 60%' and says 'over 57%'. Clarify whether the survey's own stated figure is 57%, 60%, or a range that allows both formulations.
  • Government tax loss figure for illegal tobacco in 2025: Anglocelt.ie reports €750 million (attributed to Daan van Hamersveld speaking); leinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, and roscommonherald.ie report €758 million (attributed to 'Government figures'). Confirm the official figure from the Irish Government and whether €750 million is JTI's internal estimate or a direct government statement.
  • Survey scope and geographic coverage: Thurles.info states the survey covered 22 towns and cities and notes that Clonmel, Nenagh, Thurles, and 'another Tipperary location' were not included. Confirm from JTI Ireland's published survey report which 22 locations were surveyed and whether any outlets' local figures (Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, Athlone) are presented as part of the core 22 or as supplementary analysis.

What was checked, and against what

3 of 3 confirmed against a primary source. Every document is linked so you can read the same record we did. Anything not confirmed is listed as such rather than left out.

  • checkedJTI Ireland Empty Pack Survey 2026: Five outlets report 57% as the nationwide non-Irish duty-paid rate, but anglocelt.ie opens with 'almost 60%' and says 'over 57%'. Clarify whether the survey's own stated figure is 57%, 60%, or a range that allows both formulations.Retail News · establishes that the outlet published it · The JTI Ireland Empty Pack Survey states the exact figure is 57%.The "almost 60%" formulation used by The Anglo-Celt is an editorial approximation used in its headline and opening sentence to round up the findings. The outlet clarifies the precise metric in its own body text, writing that the survey found "over 57%" of packs were non-Irish duty-paid. · 2026-08-15
  • checkedGovernment tax loss figure for illegal tobacco in 2025: Anglocelt.ie reports €750 million (attributed to Daan van Hamersveld speaking); leinsterleader.ie, retailnews.ie, and roscommonherald.ie report €758 million (attributed to 'Government figures'). Confirm the official figure from the Irish Government and whether €750 million is JTI's internal estimate or a direct government statement.Connacht Tribune · establishes the underlying fact · The €758 Million Figure: This is the exact statistic released under official Irish Government figures to map out the explicit revenue lost specifically to illicit, black-market tobacco products. The €750 Million Figure: This is a spoken approximation used in a direct quote by Daan van Hamersveld (Director of Corporate Affairs at JTI Ireland). In his press statement, he simplified the exact data by stating that the state lost "over €750 million". · 2026-08-15
  • checkedSurvey scope and geographic coverage: Thurles.info states the survey covered 22 towns and cities and notes that Clonmel, Nenagh, Thurles, and 'another Tipperary location' were not included. Confirm from JTI Ireland's published survey report which 22 locations were surveyed and whether any outlets' local figures (Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, Athlone) are presented as part of the core 22 or as supplementary analysis.Dundalk Democrat · establishes that the outlet published it · JTI Ireland's 2026 Empty Pack Survey analyzed 5,000 discarded packs across 22 major Irish towns and cities, confirming that locations such as Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, and Athlone were part of the core study rather than supplementary analysis. The survey, conducted between February 16 and April 3, 2026, excluded specific Tipperary towns mentioned in the query, including Clonmel, Nenagh, and Thurles. · 2026-08-15