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Shopkeepers launch film appeal on eve of House of Lords debate on tobacco displays

Independent shopkeepers have launched a film appeal today (Monday 27^th April) to members of the House of Lords on the eve of their debate on tobacco displays. Tomorrow the Lords will start their debate then vote on whether or not shops can keep their tobacco displays as part of the Health Bill.

Members of the Tobacco Retailer’s Alliance are concerned that a display ban would place a massive financial and operational burden on their businesses – forcing many to close - and that a ban would not cut youth smoking as the Government has suggested. A group of shopkeepers have produced a short film to send to Lords and MPs to convey these concerns claiming that shopkeepers have so far not been sufficiently included in the debate. 

The film is being sent to all Members of House of Lords as well as Members of Parliament, urging them to support retailers.

Ken Patel, a retailer from Leicester and National Spokesman for the Tobacco Retailers Alliance, said: “We made this video as a way of speaking to politicians, because so far we do not feel the Government has listened to us. The whole consultation process has been a complete sham.”

“It is ridiculous that we should not be included in the debate as we are on the front line of selling cigarettes. We know what measures will work, what will be ineffective, and what will force small shops out of business. I hope politicians watch our film and listen to the concerns of real shopkeepers on the front line of this problem. The Government should be working with us, not against us.”

Since the proposals to ban tobacco displays were first announced last year, 10,000 additional independent shopkeepers have joined the Tobacco Retailers Alliance, reflecting levels of concern among small business owners about the Government’s plans.

The Conservative Party and more than 100 MPs, including 50 Labour backbenchers, have pledged their support for retailers on this issue, recognising that such a move would place an unnecessary burden on small businesses while doing nothing to reduce youth smoking rates.

The plea from small businesses comes just weeks after the New Zealand Government announced it would drop plans for a display ban because the lack of evidence does not justify such a burden on small shops.

Ken Patel continued:

“There is no evidence to prove that this measure would work, and the Government has misled people into believing it would have a positive impact on youth smoking. We are asking them to look at the evidence from overseas, and instead of forcing retailers to keep tobacco under our counters, they should seriously consider alternatives such as making it illegal for adults to buy tobacco for minors.”

UK Health Minister Alan Johnson has relied on international evidence to back his policy. On announcing the Government intended to ban displays, he presented evidence from Canada as an example of how this move had been effective in reducing youth smoking, claiming that youth smoking had fallen by 32% between 2002 and 2007 as a result of the policy. It later emerged that display bans had been implemented in only two of Canada’s 13 provinces during that time, and that youth smoking had fallen on average by only 18.5% in those areas – far below the national rate of decline.

Debbie Corris, an independent shopkeeper from Whitstable in Kent, said:

“We need to redress the balance of accountability in youth access to tobacco. The current Government strategy is to put the whole burden of responsibility on small shops, but everyone in society including parents, teachers and the authorities has a role to play in combating the problem of youth smoking.

“These proposals would have a massive impact on our businesses but the Government are willing to do it, regardless of the lack of evidence to suggest it could work. In the absence of any evidence, a display ban is nothing more than a gimmick.”

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For a preview of the short film click here, to speak to a retailer or for more information, please contact Katherine Graham on katherine.graham@tobaccoretailersalliance.org.uk , 0800 008 282, 07962 384 254 or Jonathan Hart 0777 55 66 908

Notes to editors

The Tobacco Retailers Alliance a coalition of 26,000 independent retailers who all sell tobacco products. For 26 years we have represented the rights of legitimate retailers to sell tobacco products in a legal and responsible way. The Tobacco Retailers Alliance is funded by the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA.)

Even pressure group ASH now admit that the decline in youth smoking in Canada merely ‘coincided’ with a ban on displays of tobacco. In a statement about the evidence from Canada, ASH said: “ASH makes claims of causation with great care and for a number of technical reasons, including the fact that display bans were part of a range of interventions, it is not possible to definitely claim causation at this stage.”

The provisions to ban tobacco displays (contained within the Health Bill) will be debated and voted on by the Lords at Report Stage, beginning 28.4.09.

Katherine Graham, Campaign Manager

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