Sol Cigar Co. faces massive costs from new Norwegian tobacco regulations

Sol Cigar Co. owner Frederik Strømme Legernæs reports that new registration requirements for tobacco products are threatening the viability of the cigar industry in Norway. To comply with the EU tobacco directive, all product lines must be registered with Norwegian authorities by September 30.

Legernæs estimates that the registration fees for his 683 varieties of hand-rolled cigars alone could cost 7.3 million NOK in the first year, with individual registration costs reaching up to 11,500 NOK per line. Consequently, the company plans to destroy millions of NOK worth of inventory, retaining only 147 product lines.

The Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services stated that these reporting requirements have been known to the industry since 2014 and offer no exemptions. The purpose of the mandate is to ensure that Norwegian and EU authorities maintain updated oversight and control over the contents of tobacco products sold within Norway and the EEA.