The exciting world of a cigarette seller at the festival!

The exciting world of a cigarette seller at the festival!

What's on the Airbeat Festival? Not only music enthusiasts are bustling here, but also cigarette sellers who ensure fresh supply in a colorful atmosphere. One example is Tim Condé, 27 years old and from Hamburg, who lives out his adventure as a cigarette seller at this renowned festival. He has a bachelor's degree in business psychology and thus brings a good dose of mind when it comes to reaching the audience. Equipped with a red shoulder bag and a megafon, he excites the attention of the festival visitors with a large red arrow on his back. In a total of over 30 mobile cigarette sellers are in use, supplemented by solid stands that offer the guests a range of cigarettes. The job is done on behalf of Reemtsma, a large German tobacco company, which enables a look behind the scenes of the cigarette industry. According to Statista Reemtsma is part of the fourth largest tobacco company in the world.

To sell cigarettes, you need a trade license for the smallest industry and must be at least 18 years old. Tim emphasizes that there is both a fixed amount and staggered commissions from 110 boxes sold per day. The cigarette prices remain at the same level as outside the festival - there are no discounts. The working hours of the sellers are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with an hourly wage that is between 16 and 18 euros, plus commissions in 50-euro steps. Despite the high physical requirements that the job brings, Tim estimates the opportunity to get to know new people and gain additional experience.

The challenges of the cigarette market

However, the cigarette industry is faced with challenges. The German cigarette market has changed drastically since the turn and the sales figures have dropped by over half since then. In 2023, only about 64 billion taxed cigarettes were dropped off - the lowest value so far. Despite this development, sales remained relatively stable at around 22.5 billion euros. This is mainly due to the fact that cigarettes still generate the highest sales in the entire tobacco market.

Around 20% of cigarettes in Germany are unmounted, which also affects the market. High tax shares make the goods expensive and cause many customers to prefer tax-free products from eastern EU neighboring states. These circumstances also have an impact on sales strategies of providers such as Reemtsma who have to assert themselves on the market.

Future view

Tim, who has little touch with tobacco as a occasional smoker in everyday life, sees these festival jobs a successful opportunity to finance his travel dreams and future plans. On the last day of the festival, he notices that the sales figures are low because many visitors bought their cigarettes beforehand, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying the 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 take a similar way to Tim, you will find numerous job offers at Reemtsma. With an employee number between 501 and 5,000 and locations across Germany, the company offers various ways to get involved in the area of tobacco products. In addition to traditional brands such as Gauloises and West, which are sold worldwide, the company also holds responsibility towards society.