FRENCH TOBACCO

Shannon News, 6 January 1928, Page 3

FRENCH TOBACCO

GOVERNMENT MONOPOLY. A new tobacco shop of the most up-to-date and luxurious type has bern opened in Paris. It is a sign of the modorisation of the Crouch tobacco trade, for. not long ago the smoker could satisfy his needs onh in the dingy little bistros, where* tlu sale of tobacco contended with tha I of drink and postage stamps, where cigarettes were handed out in screws of paper ciiid change w r as always un obtainable. There are few independ cut. tobacco shops in Paris. Tin trade is a strict Government mono poly, the profits are fixed at 6 to P per cent., and it is difficult to makea living by the sale of tobacco only. Indeed, it is impossible in the more expensive quarters, whore rents are high and appearance must be kepi up.

The Champs Elysces Tabac, whirl; has opened the new shop, could count on a dead loss if it were not; for tin sales of expensive' smokers’ luxut ies—long, elaborate cigarette holders ash trays, cigar and cigarette boxes cigar cutters and cases. Ever since the new shops began to open the to bacco dealers have been at war-with the regie over this question. Thej argue that the better class of shop cannot keep open on a profit of f per cent, and point for proof to the fact that many ' tobacco shops s have been closed and sold at Strasburg and Mulhouse since the French Adminis traf.on took them .over.

Yet the Government does not quite refuse to move. After the war an effort, was made to improve the earn ings of the State monopoly by im proving the quality and .appearance of its goods and increasing tlieii variety. Tn France 200,000 tons of tobacco arc grown .and 10,000 tons in Algeria. France imports every yeai 100,000 tons of Virginia leaf and 5000 tons from the Near East, together with a little Havana lehf and about 5,000,000 ready-made cigars. British pip,’, tobacco and cigarettes are also imported, but the cheap cigars pro vent the pipe- habit from spreading much. Of all this trade 90 per cent still passes eventually through, the little debits. The new shop in the Champs Elyseos, with its modern ox pensive decoration—grey and natural walnut panel'ing and light filtered through cubistic troughs of frosted -glass—will need a big turnover to make it a suc.coss.