why have cigarettes always been sold in packs of 20. i think that it has something to do with addicting the consumers. if cigarettes were sold individually, then less people would be addicted. if you have 20 available to your consumption you are less likely to stop after 1 cigarette. what do you guys think.
why are cigarettes sold in packs of 20?
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as do i, i enjoy getting that nicotine and not getting all of those toxic poisons
Marlboro used to have "Marlboro 25s" which were soft packs with 25 cigarettes and they only came in reds. I used to buy them about 20 years ago when I was a teenager and they were hard to find. Some stores would get in a carton or two every so often.
Friends of mine also used to get 5 pack samplers from Marlboro when they came out with menthols and mediums.
Friends of mine also used to get 5 pack samplers from Marlboro when they came out with menthols and mediums.
it's a good possibility that it has to do with addiction. when i used to hang out in cities and could readily get "loosies" (single cigs) at the corner store for 50 cents each, or 3 for $1,... i found myself not buying packs at all, but rather buying as i needed for a few hours, or for the day....
I believe the 'packs of 20' was due to the amount of tobacco used -- it worked out the same as a standard bag of tobacco in loose form for rolling. One of the early selling points was they cost the same as a regular bag w/papers, but you didn't have the hassle of rolling them. They could sell it for that because they could use inferior tobacco, something roll-your-own vendors couldn't do because the customer actually saw/felt the tobacco and would know if it wasn't prime.
The UK has always had packs of 10 but vending machines sold packs of 17.
In years gone by, some brands were sold by vending in packs of 3 or 5 and 'generic' cigarettes have nearly always been offered in packs of 25.
It's all down to marketing...
In years gone by, some brands were sold by vending in packs of 3 or 5 and 'generic' cigarettes have nearly always been offered in packs of 25.
It's all down to marketing...
When I was in the army in Germany and bought Marlboros off base, the bottom of the packs said "19 Quality cigarettes" instead of the usual "20 Class A cigarettes"
I remember those from when I was just starting to smoke, the corner gas station used to sell them. Was that really 20 years ago? I feel old now, seems like it was just yesterday.
Back to Post #1. I don't know why 20, but I seriously doubt your supposition. Most people I know, and I include myself as someone I know, didn't start out smoking by buying a pack of cigarettes. They started by bumming a smoke or two off of friends.
In my case: Years elapsed between my first cigarettes and my first cigarette pack purchase.
For what it's worth, Nat Shermans are now available in packs of 10. Other high end smokes may be as well.
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EDIT: OK, your post made me investigate. Pretty easy to determine the supposition is flawed. From the source everyone loves to hate (but any fool can double check) wikipedia ...
In my case: Years elapsed between my first cigarettes and my first cigarette pack purchase.
For what it's worth, Nat Shermans are now available in packs of 10. Other high end smokes may be as well.
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EDIT: OK, your post made me investigate. Pretty easy to determine the supposition is flawed. From the source everyone loves to hate (but any fool can double check) wikipedia ...
source
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I remember those specifically from when I bought them from the vending machines in Germany. A 5 mark piece bought a 19 cigarette pack. I think for the full 20 you'd need 5.26. I think I remember in the stores and such they were full 20 cig packs as well.
It could be about marketing. It could be about addiction. It could have something to do with packaging in regard to packets of tobacco as somebody suggested. Or it could be that the size of a box of 20 cigarettes fits comfortably in one's shirt pocket.
Haha yeah, Ever notice how a full sized Bic brand lighter is exactly the same height as a king size cigarette? And that it takes up 4 cigarette spaces within the pack... and that a pack width and height is the same as drivers licenses/ credit cards?
I bought a few packs of 30 in New Zealand, blew my mind. The black lung on the warning label kind of sucked, though.
Ok, since the debate is still rolling....here ya go. They do it for one simple reason: the first pack sold had 20 because men used to roll their own and take 'packs' of 20 to work with them, then they started selling them in packs. Now that you all know the answer, hold on tight 'cuz the world is gonna start spinning backwards.
Could I place a vote for the same direction, only 15% slower? 28 hour days would suit me just fine.
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