The Welsh Government has introduced new plans to create a national retailers register of tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and tobacco papers.
This proposal featured in the Public Health Bill (Wales) which was initiated into the National Assembly for Wales yesterday. The Bill also includes proposals to make the proxy purchase of tobacco and nicotine products illegal, meaning an adult cannot buy tobacco products on behalf of a person under the age of 18.
The retailer register will require retailers to apply and register with their local Registration Authority if they sell tobacco products and/or nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and refills. It would be an offence to sell these products if they aren’t registered.
ACS chief executive, James Lowman, said: “A tobacco retailer register will impose costly and unnecessary burdens on convenience retailers in Wales. Recent figures have shown that the illicit tobacco market costs the UK almost £2bn in lost revenue annually, enforcement agencies should be focused on tackling the illicit trade rather than penalising legitimate retailers with these administrative costs.”
The fee for retailers to register would be set at £30 for the first premises and £10 for each additional premises. There would not be a requirement for retailers to reregister annually, but retailers would be required to report any relevant changes to their details.
The Public Health Bill (Wales) is a response to last year’s public consultation, the Public Health White Paper, which ACS responded to here: http://www.acs.org.uk/download/acs-response-to-welsh-public-health-consultation.
ACS will be briefing Welsh Assembly members in advance of further considerations to the Bill.
