Imperial Tobacco slams display ban |
| Wednesday, 02 April 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Proposals to ban tobacco displays in retail outlets have been branded as "daft" by Imperial Tobacco, the leading supplier of cigarettes in the UK.  Imperial Tobacco argues a display ban would: • Hit shopper footfall and, as a consequence, retail sales • Encourage illegal sales • Distort competition • Be impractical to operate • Increase retail costs • Remove the freedom of consumer choice Deirdre Healy, Imperial's corporate affairs manager, said: "Restricted display on tobacco products is a daft proposal. "We are fundamentally opposed to any restrictions on the display of products in retail outlets. "Every consumer is entitled to see product and make an informed choice. We will absolutely defend the right of the retail trade to display the goods they have and show the prices." Imperial Tobacco was preempting the consultation process put forward by public health minister Dawn Primarolo and scheduled to begin in May. Along with the display ban, proposals include banning pack sizes of fewer than 20 products and restrictions on vending. Healy said Imperial also opposed the ban on smaller pack sizes, which account for 20% of the UK market. Imperial said a similar ban, introduced in Ireland in May 2007, has lost shopper footfall, sales and impulse purchases but grown the 'grey' market. Imperial said display bans, introduced in Iceland in 2001 and in some Canadian states from 2002, were not having any impact either with zero effect on illegal sales, while retailers have to bear the compliance cost. Healy added retailers have also raised concerns about knock on effects of a display ban including theft from other categories, when shop keepers turn around or bend down to retrieve products, plus health and safety issues. Freedom of consumer choice was also at risk, said Healy. "What type of society do we live in if we deny the right of adult consumers to make an informed choice about legal fmcg products?" Imperial warned a display ban could also set a precedent for other categories such as alcohol. Healy urged the government to ensure any future legislation in the tobacco category was "evidence based" but added this was not always the case, citing a House of Lords' report on risk management which had criticised the government's introduction of the smoking ban in England and Wales. "[We] must be given a fair hearing," said Healy, "and the proposals should be simply kicked into touch." By Fiona Briggs Related Articles
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Comments (5)
Joe Public
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You just cannot get ... You just cannot get it people. You cannot smoke out people and flick butts everywhere against their will. Find another way to get your nicotine. |
marge
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I don't drink, I don... I don't drink, I don't drive, I don't fly to far away places. I smoke. I do not want to stop people doing these things. We all have choices in life. It looks like smokers are being demonised, there are a lot worse habits to have. Who are the saintly people who makes the rules of life up. Smokers are not the problem, dictators are. Leave the cigs on the shelves. Ban nothing. It has never worked. Good idea jim lawler |
Kin_Free
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About time too - Imp... About time too - Imperial Tobacco! The tobacco industry has been rendered impotent for years, ever since it's so called intelligent executives and scientists tried to use dubious evidence in their case.(eg trying to convince people that tobacco was not addictive, when clearly it is!). It is good to see that finally the tobacco industry are re -entering into the debate on free choice, in opposition to government control based on an agenda set by ASH et al, who in turn are working to the agenda of the Pharmaceutical industry. The big pharmaceuticals have taken over from where you left off to use ma*ses of mis-information, manipulated statistics and expensive propaganda in their anti-smoking crusade. Is it not time that you became more pro active in fighting the cause for those who are pro-freedom instead of sitting in your offices licking the wounds that were inflicted in a different era!The bad guys are now ASH and pharma, You should be exposing the propaganda and dubious/false science that ASH et al are producing daily! There is an increasingly powerful minority out there who are fighting against state oppression, The smoking ban personifies that; You should be defending them!- BUT never again stray from the absolute truth, the truth will always come out. ASH and big pharma will come to realise that sooner, I hope, rather than later. |
pat
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Hard drugs are more ... Hard drugs are more common today then ever before, and you cannot find them on the counter or under it. If people choose to smoke it should be choice.If this plan goes ahead then i hope everyone worker on a tobacco counter sues this government for making them bob up and down all day when selling cigarettes and making their back ache. I am sick to death of being persecuted because i happen to enjoy a cigarette. David Cameron was seen downing a pint of bitter in the paper whats the difference between cigarettes and alcohol,? alcohol is more anti social then cigarette smoke. I think the comments above is very worth listening too. |
jim lawler
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imperial tobacco com... imperial tobacco complains of another attack on its trade but moaning about it is all that it is ready to do. I've suggested to them in the past that they should mount a ma*sive pet*tion of smokers by inserting small individual cards in their packets similar to the old gift tokens and enable millions of smokers to make their protest,when the coupons would be collected in pubs,clubs etc and dlivered to the government asking for the return of smoking venues. I.T suggested legal problems could be involved as a reason for not taking this action their well taxed customers deserve some help to get changes to this ill thought blanket smoking ban so what about it I.T AND THE REST OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY showing a bit of support to the millions that are their bread and butter if nothing is done then we deserve all we get jim lawler |
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