Two in three (67%) corner shopkeepers believe a ban on tobacco gantries in stores would increase the number of smokers getting tobacco from the black market, according to a new survey by Tobacco Retailers Alliance.
The findings come as the new coalition government considers whether to revoke the display ban legislation, forced through Parliament by the previous Government in 2009.
Health minister Andrew Lansley has expressed concern that the move would not reduce youth smoking as has been claimed, particularly after smoking rates in Canada rose following a display ban there.
Ken Patel, a Leicester shopkeeper and the national spokesman for the Tobacco Retailers Alliance, said: “There is a huge black market in tobacco in this country, and that really affects tobacco sales in small shops like mine. Putting tobacco under the counter will make smokers feel like they’re doing something illegal when they buy tobacco from a shop. If they think that, they might as well get it from a smuggler who sells it at half the price I can.
“Retailers like me ask customers for ID if we think they are under-age, but the criminals who sell smuggled and counterfeit tobacco aren’t bothered and will sell tobacco to anyone. This means black market tobacco is much more accessible to under-age smokers. Wouldn’t it make more sense for the Government to focus on tacking smuggling, rather than senselessly penalising corner shopkeepers through a display ban which they know won’t work?”
The black market in smuggled and counterfeit tobacco already causes a loss to the Treasury of £11m each day, and deprives legitimate businesses of trade.
The survey also found that 53% of corner shopkeepers were aware of smuggled tobacco being sold in their area with 38% of these aware of some customers being underage.
Source: Tobacco Retailers Alliance
