This marks the fourth price increase in 2024, following earlier price hikes in February, April and July.

According to news reports, the board of directors of the Eastern Company approved a new price list for all of its products, including Cleopatra cigarettes and other brands, in its meeting held on Tuesday.

This move aimed to offset part of the increased production costs due to the change in the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Egyptian pound, the rise in prices of raw materials, and increased shipping costs.

Since March, these factors have significantly raised production costs, the company said in a statement reported by local news website Youm7.

The company noted that raw materials, both tobacco and non-tobacco, account for over 75 percent of the total production costs (excluding taxes), creating a substantial burden that the company has tried to mitigate by improving operational performance.

With the new increase, a pack of Cleopatra box of 10 cigarettes will be sold at EGP 27 instead of EGP 25. 

Furthermore, a pack of 20 cigarettes of the company’s most affordable brand, Cleopatra, will be officially priced at EGP 38.7 instead of EGP 34.72. 

Similarly, the new prices apply to all Cleopatra cigarettes, including Cleopatra king size, Cleopatra soft queen, Cleopatra box (white colours), Cleopatra Super, and Cleopatra black label.

They also apply to brands such as Mondial, Boston, Belmont, Matossian as well as Viceroy and Pall Mall.

According to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), Egypt’s annual inflation rate annual core inflation rate decreased by 0.1 percent in September to 25 percent, down from 25.1 percent in August.

However, the monthly inflation rate increased in June 2024 to reach 1.8 percent, compared to -0.8 percent in May 2024.

According to the CBE, the monthly core inflation recorded one percent in September 2024, compared to 1.1 percent in September 2023 and 0.9 percent in August 2024.

Meanwhile, the monthly urban headline inflation reached 2.1 percent in September 2024, compared to 2 percent in September 2023 and 2.1 in August 2024, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).