Cigar and cigarillo consumers represent only 2.3% of smokers and are all over 45 years old.

While European authorities are increasingly proposing stricter regulations against tobacco products, a German study serves as a reminder that cigars is a very niche product, consumed primarily by people—often men—over 45.

The figures come from the 2025 Mikrozensus (microcensus) conducted by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) and analyzed by the Bundesverband der Zigarrenindustrie (BdZ), the German cigar industry association. Of more than 71,000 people surveyed, 45,000 identified themselves as smokers, and only 193 as cigar or cigarillo consumers. This represents barely 0.4% of the total sample and 2.3% of smokers.

Even more striking: no cigar or cigarillo consumers were identified in the 15-45 age group. Cigar enthusiasts are concentrated among those over 45, with a peak in the 55-65 age group. The study also confirms a predominantly male profile: of the 193 consumers surveyed, 156 are men.

For the German cigar industry, this data reinforces an argument regularly put forward by the cigar world: cigars are neither an introductory product nor a mass-market product. The German Cigar Association (BdZ) emphasizes that they are a “pleasure product” consumed occasionally, far removed from the intensive and addictive consumption patterns associated with cigarettes or vaping.

German statistics also show a decline in cigar and cigarillo sales, with a 6.6% drop in volume in 2025 compared to the previous year, and stable sales value. The Federal Statistical Office determines annual sales figures for cigars and cigarillos based on net purchases after tax stamps.

“This confirms the trend identified in previous microcensus and EU Eurobarometers since 2012,” explains Paul Varakas, director of the European Cigar Manufacturers Association (ECMA). In fact, these results clearly indicate that providing a differentiated regulatory treatment for cigars or cigarillos does not lead to an increase popularity or consumption from young people. Cigars continue to be traditional cultural and enjoyment products, and should continue to be treated that way by regulators.”

Photo: La Casa del Habano Saarbrücken