Latvians and Lithuanians purchase contraband items extra usually than Estonians

In Latvia and Lithuania, society is way more tolerant of the acquisition of contraband items than in Estonia – a 3rd, or 30%, of the Latvian and Lithuanian public don’t condemn the acquisition of contraband items, and in Estonia 20% of respondents do. or, Arnis Kaktiņš, the director of the SKDS analysis middle, offered the opinions of the inhabitants that the SKDS researched in Might.

In Latvia, tolerance for the acquisition of contraband items has not modified considerably since 2019, nonetheless, it has decreased considerably over the previous ten years, as a result of in 2013, half of the inhabitants, or 46%, purchase contraband items. . Alternatively, in Lithuania and Estonia, the tolerance of residents relating to the acquisition of contraband items is measured for the primary time.

The most well-liked contraband gadgets within the Baltics are cigarettes and different tobacco and nicotine merchandise – in Latvia, 12% of respondents on this 12 months’s survey say they purchased these contraband gadgets themselves, and one other 12% admit that their associates or acquaintances have carried out so. due to this fact. In Lithuania, 8% of respondents purchased contraband tobacco merchandise (and one other 9% stated that associates and acquaintances did it), however in Estonia – solely 4% (and one other 9% stated that associates and acquaintances e).

Up to now 12 months, 3% of the inhabitants of Latvia, 4% of the inhabitants of Lithuania and 0.5% of the inhabitants of Estonia purchased contraband gas in Latvia.

Alternatively, 3% of the inhabitants in Latvia, 2% in Lithuania and 1% in Estonia purchased contraband alcohol.

Kaktiņš reported that 72% of respondents in Latvia, 71% in Lithuania and 84% in Estonia didn’t purchase contraband items, reminiscent of cigarettes, different tobacco and nicotine merchandise, alcohol or gas, in the course of the 12 months left, and they do not know any associates. or acquaintances who did. Alternatively, cigarettes or different merchandise containing tobacco and nicotine are essentially the most often bought contraband items.

Residents of the Baltic States purchased contraband items primarily as a result of they have been less expensive and extra worthwhile than authorized items – this was acknowledged by 91% of respondents in Latvia, 92% in Lithuania and 80% in Estonia, who themselves had purchased contraband items within the Final 12 months.

As one other issue contributing to the acquisition of contraband items, 21% in Latvia, 22% in Lithuania and 27% in Estonia stated that contraband has the identical high quality as authorized items.

Alternatively, 34% in Estonia, 12% in Lithuania and eight% in Latvia stated they’d purchase contraband as a result of it’s inconceivable to purchase such items legally.

When shopping for contraband items, Latvian respondents normally saved greater than 30 euros (48%), in Lithuania – 10-29 euros (43%), and in Estonia – greater than 50 euros ( 30%) within the final month.

Kaktiņš stated that 69% of respondents in Latvia, 71% in Lithuania and 85% in Estonia wouldn’t know the place to purchase contraband items if vital.

Residents of Latvia (25%) and Lithuania (17%) would normally know the place to purchase contraband cigarettes. In Estonia, 5% of the inhabitants would realize it. Alternatively, the place to purchase contraband alcohol, 12% would know in Latvia, 10% in Lithuania, and three% in Estonia.

Respondents have been skeptical in regards to the proposed bans and restrictions on smoke-free merchandise in Latvia. If the sale of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pads with totally different flavors/fragrances is banned, respondents in Latvia and Estonia principally (45% and 58%, respectively) imagine that they may purchase customers of those merchandise illegally on the Web, in overseas international locations, or from smugglers. 27% of respondents in Latvia and 22% in Estonia imagine that customers of those merchandise will return to smoking cigarettes or utilizing different tobacco and nicotine merchandise.

Evaluating anti-smuggling measures carried out within the Baltic States, 61% of the inhabitants in Latvia and Lithuania think about them unsuccessful, whereas 28% of the inhabitants in Estonia of that opinion.

54% of the inhabitants of Latvia, 56% – in Lithuania, and 52% – in Estonia want to strengthen the combat in opposition to smuggling. Alternatively, 26% of the inhabitants of Latvia, 16% in Estonia and 9% in Lithuania imagine that nothing ought to be carried out about smuggling and that every little thing ought to be left as it’s.

For the primary time, the survey additionally clarified the angle of the residents of the Baltic States relating to the acquisition of products made in Russia and Belarus after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kaktiņš concluded that the general public opinion relating to the acquisition of such merchandise modified a lot much less in Latvia than in different international locations. The opinion of 68% of the inhabitants of Latvia relating to the acquisition of products made in Russia didn’t change, 21% – grew to become worse and 5% – higher, and solely 46% of the inhabitants of Lithuania modified and Estonia’s opinion relating to items made in Russia, 42% – worse, however 2% in Lithuania and seven% in Estonia – higher.

Related conclusions will be drawn within the survey in regards to the angle in the direction of items produced in Belarus – the angle of 73% of Latvian residents didn’t change, 17% worsened and 6% – higher. In Lithuania, the opinion of 56% of the inhabitants didn’t change, 32% grew to become worse, and a couple of% improved, and in Estonia, the opinion of 52% of the inhabitants didn’t change , 35% worsened, and eight% improved.

The analysis was carried out by inspecting 1006 residents in Latvia, 967 in Lithuania and 917 in Estonia aged 18 to 75.

The nationwide smuggling discussion board “Preventing smuggling – challenges and successes” is organized by the affiliation “Enterprise In opposition to Shadow Financial system” (BASE) and “SSE Riga” in cooperation with the middle SKDS analysis.