ACS

ACS has welcomed Ministerial concessions regarding the rules that will be in place when a tobacco display ban comes into force for local shops in 2013.*

Regulations to be laid before Parliament next week set out the rules on how retailers can comply with the tobacco display ban enacted in the Health Act 2009. Draft proposals published in November were criticised by local shops as amongst the most restrictive and costly to comply with in the world. ACS has led negotiations with Government and these have resulted in significant concessions that will provide greater flexibility and reduce the cost impact on shops.

ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman said: “ACS welcomes the open approach that Ministers have taken to engaging with local shops following Parliament’s decision to implement a ban on tobacco display. Whilst Ministers have not accepted our recommendations in full, the finalised regulations on permitted display area will present fewer practical difficulties and lower implementation costs than the draft proposals contained in the consultation.

“As long as the legislation is in place to ban the display of tobacco we will work with the Department of Health to ensure that retailers are given the support they will need to manage compliance with this new law.”

The major concession relates to the ‘permitted display area’, the amount of tobacco display that can be exposed when retailers are retrieving a product from the unit or after a customer request. In draft rules Government proposed a maximum permitted display of 0.15 m2, this would have required fitting a minimum of 20 doors to a typical convenience store gantry.** In finalised regulations laid before Parliament the maximum permitted display area will be 0.75m2, requiring a minimum of 4 doors. This concession will lead to cost savings in fitting solutions to units and be easier to use in a busy service environment.

Mr Lowman reiterated ACS opposition to the ban on principle and committed to continue to make the case for a more radical rethink “We remain convinced that a display ban is unnecessary and that even with concessions the cost and disruption that the regulations will impose are unjustified.
Our acknowledgement of these concessions will not temper our continued commitment to making the case against the ban on principle.”

ACS’ submissions setting out the local shop case against the tobacco display ban and in response to the consultation on regulations are available at www.acs.org.uk

Notes

* the tobacco display ban rules stipulate that stores with a retail floor space larger than 280m2 will be required to comply on 1st October 2011 and those smaller than this threshold will have to comply in 2013.
** for these purposes the definition of a ‘typical convenience store gantry’ is a unit that has a display area 2m wide by 1.5m down.

Contacts:

Shane Brennan Public Affairs Director
01252 515001
Chris Noice Communications Co-Ordinator
01252 533013/ 07801 997070

Notes to Editors

1. ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) is the voice of local shops, representing over 33,500 convenience stores. ACS helps local shops thrive through lobbying, support and networking opportunities.

2. Regulations are expected to be tabled in Parliament next week

3. The Department of Health response entitled “Response to the Consultation on proposed Tobacco Control regulations for England (Under the Health Act 2009) can be found here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_113264.pdf