The exciting world of a cigarette seller at the festival!

The exciting world of a cigarette seller at the festival!

What's going on at the Airbeat Festival? There are not only music enthusiasts here, but also cigarette sellers who provide fresh supplies in a colorful atmosphere. One example is Tim Condé, 27 years old and from Hamburg, who lives out his adventures as a cigarette seller at this renowned festival. He has a bachelor's degree in business psychology and therefore brings a good amount of intelligence when it comes to reaching the audience. Equipped with a red shoulder bag and a megaphone, he attracts the attention of festival visitors with a large red arrow on his back. A total of over 30 mobile cigarette vendors are in operation, supplemented by permanent stands that offer guests a range of cigarettes. The job is being done on behalf of Reemtsma, a large German tobacco company, allowing a look behind the scenes of the cigarette industry. Loud Statista Reemtsma is part of the fourth largest tobacco company in the world.

To sell cigarettes, you need a small business license and you must be at least 18 years old. Tim highlights that there is both a fixed fee and tiered commissions from 110 boxes sold per day. Cigarette prices remain at the same level as outside the festival - there are no discounts. The salespeople's working hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with an hourly wage of between 16 and 18 euros, plus commissions in 50 euro increments. Despite the high physical demands that the job entails, Tim appreciates the opportunity to meet new people and gain additional experience.

The challenges of the cigarette market

However, the cigarette industry faces challenges. The German cigarette market has changed drastically since reunification and sales figures have fallen by over half since then. In 2023, only around 64 billion taxed cigarettes were sold - the lowest figure so far. Despite this development, sales remained relatively stable at around 22.5 billion euros. This is mainly because cigarettes still generate the highest sales in the entire tobacco market.

Around 20% of cigarettes in Germany are untaxed, which has an additional impact on the market. High tax rates make the goods expensive and lead to many customers preferring tax-free products from neighboring countries in the EU. These circumstances also influence the sales strategies of providers like Reemtsma, who have to assert themselves on the market.

Future outlook

Tim, who as an occasional smoker has little contact with tobacco in his everyday life, sees these festival jobs as a successful opportunity to finance his travel dreams and future plans. On the last day of the festival, he notices that sales are low because many visitors have already bought their cigarettes beforehand, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying his time at the festival to the fullest. The combination of music, sales and the chance of interesting encounters make the job extremely attractive for him.

However, if you want to follow a similar path to Tim, you will find numerous job offers at Reemtsma. With a number of employees between 501 and 5,000 and locations throughout Germany, the company offers various opportunities to get involved in the tobacco products sector. In addition to traditional brands such as Gauloises and West, which are sold worldwide, the company also upholds its responsibility towards society.