Pretax profits at tobacco firm PJ Carroll last year declined by 6 per cent to €8.4 million as the number of cigarettes legally purchased in the State declined from 4.3 billion to 4.1 billion.

According to accounts just filed with the Companies Office by PJ Carroll Company Ltd, gross revenues last year dipped by 2.4 per cent from €251.7 million to €245.6 million.

After taking into account €211.1 million paid to the Government in duty, excise and other taxes, its net revenues declined from €35.5 million to €34.5 million.

According to the directors’ report, the decline in revenues at the firm, which is owned by British American Tobacco, “was driven by volume reductions of 2.4 per cent as a result of market contraction”.