Contraband

  • Contraband Tobacco needs a Refocus by the Ontario Government
    October 7, 2023

    Ernst & Young (E&Y) recently released their report where they examined the downward trend in legal tobacco sales in three provinces since 2019 (BC, Newfoundland, and Ontario) compared with the rising growth in the underground contraband tobacco market. Let’s not be fooled as contraband is at record numbers in basically all provinces in Canada. “Illegal […]

  • Contraband Tobacco Remains a Big Issue
    June 30, 2023

    With the recent increases in cigarette prices as well as tax issues bestowed upon legal tobacco, we still see the issue of untaxed cigarettes sitting at 30-35 % in Ontario. Tobacco is a declining category but the best way we can shore up the instore business to constantly reminding our local MPP’s of the issues […]

  • Ontario survey on contraband tobacco
    OCSA Letter Warning of Contraband Impact
    October 3, 2020

    The re-opening of smoke shops on Ontario reserves has brought an issue facing our channel back to the forefront; the sale of cheap, untaxed cigarettes damaging the business of regulated convenience store retailers. A tobacco survey conducted by the OCSA this year has aided us in our efforts to help the government better understand the […]

Sign up for the OCSA newsletter:

Subscribe to our email newsletter, Convenience Connect, for news and updates from the OCSA.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.

Become a member of the OCSA:

Annual Retail Membership
Store Name & Address
Phone #
Associate Membership
Friends & Partners