Convenience store leaders in Scotland have called for coloured marks identifying flavours to be allowed on packaging as part of any new restrictions on the branding of vaping products.
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) believes that such a move would support adults who want to stop smoking, as well as allowing for customer clarity and managing the risk of flashpoints with shop staff caused by frustration around selecting flavours and products.
And the convenience store trade body argues that placing products behind shutters in shops is a step too far amid fears that tighter restrictions on responsible retailers could unintentionally fuel illicit trade and reduce obvious choices for adult smokers wishing to quit.
Responding to a UK Government consultation on how products are packaged and displayed as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, SGF suggests that coloured dots or lettering should be allowed to help identify flavours.
It is supportive of moves to reduce vaping amongst young people, but is working to ensure that any potential retail display ban does not have unintended consequences for retail crime or the ability for adult cigarette smokers to switch to vaping.
Retailers agree that imagery, branding, text and other promotional materials should be restricted to stop the marketing of vaping products to children.
In its submission to the consultation, which closed on Friday (October 2), SGF stated: “It is important to distinguish between the partial use of colour / identifying branding and promotional design.
“We think, therefore, that there should be some allowance for differentiation on packaging, such as a coloured dot or coloured naming / wording, to account for different product types and flavours.”
This, SGF believes, would provide a better balance to the operational impacts for retailers and staff tasked with implementing restrictions.
The trade group also believes that flavour names should not be appealing to children, but their appeal as a cessation tool for adult smokers who wish to quit should also not be limited.
It is arguing for simple fruit names to be allowed, such as raspberry lemon.
SGF states: “There are concerns that any limitations on flavours could reverse the progress that has been made toward government’s own aim for a smoke-free generation.
“It is commonly recognised that flavour is a critical characteristic of vaping products which helps stop smokers who wish to quit from lapsing back to cigarettes.
“Smokers who wish to quit will often start by using tobacco/non flavoured vapes and quickly move on to other flavours, such as fruit flavoured options. Likewise, our understanding is that over two thirds of former smokers prefer fruit, mint and non-tobacco flavours and a similar percentage say that vapes helped them reduce or stop smoking.”
SGF has also reaffirmed its “strong disagreement” with the proposal to place vaping products behind shutters - but says it is “content” with a requirement to have them behind the counter.
“We do not wish to see them entirely removed from the view of adult smokers who wish to quit,” the organisation said.
“Moving vapes behind shutters could create further opportunities for flashpoints and other criminal activity such as illicit trade. The proposals do not take into account the added difficulty for staff working behind the counter, while trying to identify and locate an item from potentially hundreds of similar looking items and product categories.”
SGF is also objecting to a proposed six-month implementation period for new measures to be brought into force, arguing that it is “not feasible” on a number of grounds.
It instead says the minimum requirement should be 24 months.
The organisation further states in its submission: “Balancing the potential harms of vaping to young non-smokers against the clear benefits of vaping to adult smokers who wish to quit is an exceptionally difficult public policy issue.
“We agree that regulating packaging is a critical way of making vapes less appealing to children. Cartoons, characters, animals, inanimate objects, and other child friendly imagery have no place on a product that is intended to be marketed as a cessation product for adults.
“However, policymakers must recognise the potential unintended consequences of proposals that impact the operation of small local businesses, reduce customer accessibility to legal products, and potentially encourage illicit trade.”
The UK Government is currently analysing responses to its consultation.
SGF has been working on sensible restrictions with policymakers in recent years, as part of its Healthier Choices, Healthier Communities campaign.