April 2008 - Small Business News

If your business sells tobacco products then you need to keep an eye on the consultations taking place on banning tobacco displays. Ministers have been discussing the possible policy on tobacco display regulation, and the results of such a change could seriously affect small businesses that sell tobacco goods.

If the rules were successful they would mean the banning of tobacco vending machines and the banning of displaying tobacco products in shops.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: "Taking tobacco off display would come with considerable operational and equipment costs we will be urging the Department to take these into proper account. We would expect the Government to present a clear case that these measures were necessary before placing yet another significant burden on thousands of retailers across the country."

"If the Department of Health brings forward new tobacco regulations, we will work constructively but critically to ensure that these meet their own principles of better regulation, in particular that the burdens that any measures imposed on business are proportionate and effectively targeted.

Mr Lowman also argued the Government had other pressing priorities to address: “One fifth of all tobacco smoked in the UK is supplied by the black market and the Government has to do more to tackle those that sell illegal and counterfeit tobacco in our communities.

“It is also a ridiculous anomaly that it is not illegal to buy tobacco when underage nor is it illegal for an adult to buy tobacco on behalf of someone under 18. Unless this consultation addresses these issues, then the Government will be ignoring fundamentally important measures that would effectively target the problem.”

If the law would affect your business you should keep up to date with announcements; and make sure you are prepared should it come into force.

For more information on legal issues visit our Business Law section.