Illegal tobacco sales: JTI UK withdraws support from two c-stores

JTI (Japan Tobacco International) has withdrawn its support from two convenience stores found guilty of selling illegal tobacco.

Supersave Xpress in Harlesden was ordered to pay £6,000 by Brent council’s Trading Standards team in January after being caught selling illegal cigarettes that were hidden under a pile of rugs in its store. Over 400 packets of illicit cigarettes were found on the site, including some which were counterfeit.

Maxi Food and Wine in Southgate had its license to sell alcohol suspended for three months after illegal cigarettes, vapes and Viagra were seized from the site following a test-purchase exercise run by Trading Standards.

Following the verdicts, JTI UK has written to both stores to inform them that their Business Advisers will no longer be available to visit and no further support will be offered from JTI.

“JTI’s swift response to the criminal activity seen in these cases demonstrates our commitment to backing the actions of Trading Standards in tackling the distribution and sale of illegal tobacco,” said Ian Howell, Fiscal and Regulatory Affairs Manager at JTI. “We hope that other businesses supplying services to these stores will follow our lead and withdraw their support too.

“With sales of illegal tobacco on the increase it is good to see that later this year Trading Standards will be given new powers that will allow them to issue ‘on-the-spot’ fines of up to £10,000 against any business selling illegal tobacco.

“It is imperative that honest retailers do their part to help by reporting any information they have about the sale of illegal tobacco or vapes to their local Trading Standards department through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.”

Since 2000, HMRC estimates criminal tobacco activity has resulted in a tax revenue loss of £51.3 billion. Recent JTI research showed that over a third of smokers have bought tobacco products that were not in the plain packs legally required in the UK. In 2022, JTI presented further evidence to MPs on the scale of the illegal tobacco and vape trade and called for stronger powers and additional funding for Trading Standards to tackle the issue.