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Comment

Now the public call for tobacco display ban to be stubbed out

28/07/2010

THE PUBLIC have given a massive thumbs down to plans to force retailers to hide tobacco products in their shops.
Nearly 80 per cent of people questioned in a Populus poll said the plans should be withdrawn or that they would not oppose their withdrawal.
The ban on displaying tobacco in stores was passed by the last government and is due to come into effect for small shops in 2013.
However, it has been fiercely contested by corner shops on the back of international evidence suggesting that it would be ineffective or counter-productive, and would impose high compliance costs on small retailers.
The Populus poll, which was commissioned by the NFRN, showed that eight out of ten people think that hiding tobacco products from view will either make them more appealing to young people or have no effect on young people.
Seventy eight per cent of people said they think the ban should be withdrawn or that they would not oppose its withdrawal.
NFRN National President Parminder Singh said: “Almost every week the reasons to abandon this regulation stack up. Last month we learned from a report published by the Institute of Economic Affairs that the ban has failed to reduce smoking in every country that introduced it.
“Smoking rates in Canada, Ireland and Thailand are increasing since bans were implemented, as is the black market for tobacco.
“We’ve seen that shops in other countries have struggled desperately as a result of it. It is no wonder that this month, we learn that the public does not believe it will work and would not object to seeing it withdrawn.”
The government is currently reviewing the display ban. Business Secretary Vincent Cable recently told the NFRN: “The Government is giving urgent consideration to this issue, as well as looking at alternatives to regulation where possible as part of our work to reduce the burden of regulation of business.”

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