In order to open a business which has as a main activity the
sale of food products, beverages and tobacco in the Czech Republic, specific procedures that to be followed. Besides the formalities for
opening a company in the Czech Republic, investors have to verify the basic types of licenses they have to obtain in order to have the right to sale these types of products.
When
selling tobacco and tobacco products in this country, there are specific regulations which have to be applied and
our team of consultants in company registration in Czech Republic can assist with information on the main rules of law available for this type of activity. When
selling food products, sanitary regulations must be observed.
What should one know regarding the Czech tobacco regulations?
Businessmen who want to
open a company in Czech Republic that will have, amongst others, as business activities, the
sale of tobacco and tobacco related products, must know that such products can’t be sold to persons with an age below 18 years.
Smoking is prohibited in public places, such as bus or train stations, in healthcare facilities and cultural facilities and in public transportation. Starting with May 2017,
smoking was also prohibited in any type of dining establishment. With regards to
tobacco in the Czech Republic, the following regulations are available:
- • in 2018, the health warnings on the packages of tobacco products have to cover 65% of the entire package;
- • this percentage, of 65%, has to be present on both the front and the rear of the package in order to legally sell tobacco products in Czech Republic;
- • in the case of smokeless tobacco products, the health warnings have to cover 30% of the package;
- • the Czech legislation approved 15 health warnings that must be added on the packages of tobacco products (for cigarettes and other types of tobacco products that can be smoked);
- • in the case of smokeless tobacco products, the Czech legislation provides 1 health warning that has to be included on the package.
What are the taxes applicable to the sale of tobacco products in the Czech Republic?
One of the main concerns of those
opening a business for the sale of food products, beverages and tobacco products refers to the taxation of such products.
Tobacco products are taxed following the national
tax legislation, which also stipulates specific excise taxes. It is necessary to know that
beverages can also be taxed at higher rates, depending on their nature (for example, in the case of
alcoholic beverages).
- • the lowest price at which a package of cigarettes is sold in the Czech Republic is of CZK 84;
- • the highest price for a package of cigarettes (containing 20 cigarettes) is of CZK 105;
- • the average price at which most of the cigarettes brands sell their products is of CZK 94;
- • the excise tax for selling cigarettes in this country is applicable at a rate of 31.1%;
- • the value added tax applicable for these types of products is of 17.4%.
Companies can also
sell e-cigarettes in the Czech Republic, and in this case it is legally required to notify the
Czech Ministry of Health before introducing the products on the local market.
Retailers selling e-cigarettes here have to be registered with the
Ministry of Health as well.
How to sell food products in the Czech Republic
Businesses selling food products in the Czech Republic must observe the legislation in the field, which is given by the Directives of the European Union, as the country is a member state of the community. Thus, all businesses have to provide a clear labelling system on any food product imported or produced on the local market.
For this purpose, the regulations given by the
Act No. 110/1997 Coll. and the
Decree No. 113/2005 Coll. have to be observed, which refer to the correct labelling requirements applicable to
food products and tobacco products sold in the Czech Republic;
our team of consultants in Czech company formation can provide an extensive presentation on these acts.