Our coverage across a dozen-plus markets has cited plenty of tax figures — the UAE's 100% excise, Poland's 75% hike, South Korea's ₩1,799 per ml for synthetic nicotine, the Philippines' ₱60.20 per ml. Comparing these numbers directly doesn't mean much, because they aren't the same kind of tax. This piece breaks down the more fundamental question — what's the tax actually calculated against — because that distinction hits different price tiers in completely different ways.
Two basic tax structures: ad valorem vs. specific
Ad valorem tax: calculated as a percentage of the sale price. The UAE and Saudi Arabia both use this model, at a flat 100% excise rate — meaning the tax burden scales proportionally with pricing. A $10 product and a $50 product both face the same tax rate; ad valorem taxation doesn't itself shift the relative price relationship between products.
Specific (volume-based) tax: calculated on a physical unit of measure (usually milliliters), independent of price. The UK's new duty (£2.20 per 10ml), Poland's excise (PLN 0.96/ml), South Korea's synthetic nicotine tax (₩1,799/ml), and the Philippines' excise (₱60.20/ml) all follow this model.
Specific tax: hits low-cost products harder
This structure has a direct consequence: the tax burden as a share of price rises as the product's own price falls. For example, if a specific tax adds a flat $3 to a product's cost, that's 20% of a $15 disposable's price, but only about 4% of a $70 premium product's price.
This is why earlier coverage of the UK and the Philippines (both specific-tax markets) repeatedly noted that this structure "hits low-cost volume product lines harder" — a specific tax isn't simply "more tax," it structurally compresses margins on low-cost lines while landing relatively gently on premium ones.
Ad valorem: higher price, higher absolute tax, same proportion
Ad valorem runs the opposite logic — the higher the price, the higher the absolute tax amount, but the proportion stays constant. Under the UAE and Saudi Arabia's 100% excise, a $20 product and a $100 product both face a 100% rate (tax of $20 and $100 respectively). This model makes it harder for suppliers to dodge tax simply by underdeclaring price, since the rate doesn't change regardless of declared price — which is precisely why ad valorem systems rely more heavily on regulating the declared price itself. That's why the UAE introduced a minimum taxable price starting September 2026 (a minimum of AED 1 per ml) — a rule specifically designed to close the underdeclaration loophole inherent to ad valorem taxation.
At a glance
| Market | Tax type | Rate | Which product lines are hit harder |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE / Saudi Arabia | Ad valorem | 100% excise | Higher absolute tax on pricier products, but proportion stays fixed; UAE adds minimum taxable price from Sept 2026 to close the underdeclaration loophole |
| UK | Specific | £2.20/10ml | Low-cost, high-volume product lines hit harder |
| Poland | Specific | PLN 0.96/ml (up 75%) | Same |
| South Korea (synthetic nicotine) | Specific | ₩1,799/ml | Same |
| Philippines | Specific | ₱60.20/ml | Same |
The practical impact on pricing strategy
- If your product line skews mid-to-premium (like ALI BARBAR at $69.9, covered elsewhere on this site), markets with ad valorem taxation (UAE, Saudi Arabia) carry relatively manageable tax pressure, since the burden scales with your own pricing
- If your product line is volume-focused and low-priced (like FOGGAR at $16.99), entering specific-tax markets (the UK, Poland, the Philippines) needs extra caution — these tax structures are specifically designed with low-cost products in mind, and landed-cost calculations are easy to underestimate
- The unit a quote is expressed in (per milliliter vs. a percentage of price) is itself a quick clue for identifying which tax structure a market uses, without needing to dig through the full statutory text every time
(General information only, not legal advice — consult a tax professional familiar with your target market's requirements before making business decisions.)