retailer zone

For information on the law regarding tobacco sales and for best-practice tips, click here

For information on No ID No Sale or to obtain a free resource pack, click here

Are you an independent retailer?
Do you feel your shop is important to your community?
Does you shop rely on sales of tobacco products?
Do you want to make your concerns known to the Government?

Tobacco is a controversial issue and always prompts much debate. However, in small shops, tobacco products can account for around a third of cash turnover and is a big driver of footfall. Many independent shops could not remain viable without selling tobacco.

The Government is currently considering banning the display of tobacco in shops through the Health Bill. Preparing your shop for a display ban would cost thousands of pounds. (The Association of Convenience Stores estimate such legislation would cost the average shop £1850 to fit a new counter.) That’s not counting the lost sales when customers do not realise tobacco is sold there, or head to a larger outlet where they can be certain their brand will be stocked. Removing the gantry would seriously restrict retailers' ability to sell tobacco and would compromise retail efficiency. In other countries, display bans have displaced the tobacco market from small to large shops yet have no impact on youth smoking.

Proposals to ban the sale of 10s packs would also impact disproportionately on smaller retailers. 10s packs of cigarettes account for around 20% of independents’ cigarette sales, whereas larger shops tend to sell more 100s and 200s. 10s packs of cigarettes are primarily bought by adult smokers who want to limit how much they smoke. A packet of 10 from a legitimate retailer costs around the same as 20 cigarettes on the black market, and no proof-of-age is required to purchase from criminal sellers of illicit tobacco.

The black market in tobacco is a direct consequence of the UK’s high taxation on tobacco. A great deal of illicit tobacco comes into Britain as legitimate cross-border shopping, and is then illegally sold. In recent years, an increasing amount of counterfeit tobacco is being smuggled into Britain. These products are often manufactured in illegal factories in countries including China, where they are located underground to avoid detection. The ingredients and manufacturing process of these products is completely unregulated and products seized by HM Revenue and Customs have been found to contain mice droppings, dead insects and shards of plastic. The black market in tobacco has a detrimental impact on small shops, who lose on average £20,000 per year to the illicit trade.

If you feel these issues threaten your business, ACT NOW. As a business, you have a voice and a right to be heard.

See our page on campaigning for more information on how to get involved.