Fuel and coffee consumption increases - Excise goods, fewer cigarettes cleared
Albanian citizens and foreign tourists have started this year with increased consumption of fuel and other excise goods.
By March 2025, approximately 158.7 thousand tons of fuel had been imported and consequently consumed. Compared to January-March 2024, imports of this product had exceeded 21.1 thousand tons more.
The increase in fuel consumption, as one of the main products that affects the economic chain of goods and services, signals an increase in domestic demand and economic growth.
It also signals the start of a good tourist year and more spending by Albanian citizens. One of the reasons is the drop in the price of oil on the market, which is currently traded at an average price of 175 lek per liter, which makes citizens move more during the weekends and take advantage of short-term vacations. Also, the extension of the tourist season throughout the year, where we not only have tourists interested in coastal areas, but also in visiting tourist cities in the country, and a good part of them come with personal vehicles or rent cars, has led to a significant increase in consumption.
There has also been a significant increase in beer imports, as it seems that accommodation structures are getting ready to welcome more tourists. In the first 3 months of 2025, 10,300 tons of beer were imported, up from 9,638 tons imported in January-March 2024.
But in addition to the role that tourism plays in the import of this product, the purchase of significant quantities from abroad has also been favored by the unification of excise duty for domestic production, which has brought a disadvantage to factories operating in Albania, which are facing high costs and numerous difficulties, but on the other hand has created more ground for importers.
Coffee imports have also increased, with 2,141 tons imported in the first quarter of the year, an increase of 586 tons compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, cigarette imports have decreased by 188 tons, with 497 tons imported in three months from 685 tons in January-March 2024.
Excise revenue for the period January-March 2025 was recorded at 14.6 billion lek, marking an increase of 11.6% compared to the same period a year earlier, or approximately 1.5 billion lek.
Poll
Tax on salaries "fills" the state coffers - 3-month period/ 168 million euros more collected. TAP increases by 35.7%
The state budget has collected 181.1 billion lek as of March this year. Official data from the Ministry of Finance shows that compared to the period......
In three months, 223 complaints about tenders - The state budget benefited from 13.4 million lek from financial fees
In the first three months of this year, 223 complaints from economic operators were addressed to the Public Procurement Commission. Meanwhile, in March, 81......
Skype "retires" after two decades - The platform will be replaced by the Microsoft Teams service
Skype will operate for the last time on May 5, as owner Microsoft is pulling the plug on the online calling service that redefined the way people connect......
How has this week started for the major currencies?
The US dollar continues to lose points this week as it was bought today for 86.3 lek and sold for 87.3 lek compared to the previous week according to the......
US gas "solve" trade conflict with US - EU considers buying more US goods to remove tariffs
The European Union is considering proposing a $50 billion increase in European purchases of American products in a bid to resolve the "problem" in its trade......
Analysis/ Pensions, from problems to scenarios for its reform
More than a year has passed since the idea of reforming the pension scheme was put forward to the public, and there is still no concrete package of......
Apple Exceeds Sales Expectations - But Tariff Challenges and Competition in China Worry the Company
Apple reported results that narrowly beat Wall Street expectations as consumers stocked up on iPhones amid fears of potential import tariffs from President......
Quantum Computing and AI are the future - If they come together they will revolutionize the way the world works
Quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) are two of the most transformative technologies of our time. Separately, each offers fundamental advances......
