Sociodemographic and Regional Differences in Cigarette Consumption Across Great Britain: A Population Study,...

The harms of cigarette smoking are greater for those who smoke more heavily. This study aimed to provide up-to-date estimates of cigarette consumption across Great Britain and explore differences by socioeconomic position, the presence of children in the household, nation, and region.

Cross-sectional analysis of data from a nationally representative household survey of adults in Great Britain, 2022-2024 (n = 77 796). Main outcome measures were mean daily cigarette consumption and the proportion consuming more than 20 cigarettes per day (among those who smoked cigarettes) and average per-capita cigarette consumption (among adults).

Overall, adults who smoked cigarettes consumed on average 10.4 [95%CI = 10.2%-10.6%] cigarettes per day, with 5.5% [5.0%-6.0%] smoking more than 20 per day. Average per-capita consumption was 528 [512-543] cigarettes per year, equating to a total consumption of 28.6 [27.8-29.5] billion cigarettes in Great Britain per year. Consumption was lower among those from more vs. less advantaged socioeconomic positions (mean consumption: 9.4 [9.1-9.7] vs. 11.0 [10.7-11.3] cigarettes per day; proportion smoking more than 20 per day: 4.6% [3.9%-5.2%] vs. 6.1% [5.4%-6.9%]). It was also lower among those with children in the household than those without (9.7 [9.3-10.0] vs. 10.7 [10.4-10.9]; 4.0% [3.2%-4.9%] vs. 6.1% [5.4%-6.7%]), although these differences appeared to be largely explained by the younger age of those with children in the household. Cigarette consumption also varied geographically, with the highest consumption in the North East of England (11.7 [10.6-12.8] cigarettes per day) and Scotland (11.7 [10.8-12.5]) and the lowest in London (8.4 [7.9-9.0]) and the South West (9.5 [8.9-10.1]).

An estimated 28.6 billion cigarettes are smoked in Great Britain each year. There are persistent disparities in cigarette consumption across socioeconomic groups, regions, and nations, reflecting broader patterns of health inequality.

While smoking prevalence has declined and regional differences have narrowed over recent decades, strong socioeconomic and geographic disparities in consumption remain, with particularly high levels among less advantaged groups and in regions with historically poorer health outcomes, such as the North East and Scotland. Addressing these disparities through targeted public health efforts and cessation support could contribute meaningfully to reducing health inequalities across Great Britain.