Cigarette sales up at corner shops following vending machine ban

The ban on cigarette sales in vending machines in England has resulted in a moderate increase in tobacco sales at convenience shops and local stores, food retailer magazine The Grocer has reported.

Aimed at clamping down on underage smoking, the ban on sales of cigarettes in vending machines in pubs, bars, restaurants etc, came into force on 1st October 2011. Any venue in England found to be selling cigarettes from machines could face a fine of £2,500. The new rules mean that pub landlords can no longer sell cigarettes out of vending machines, nor display adverts for cigarettes on vending machines which sell other products. Pub landlords can, however, sell cigarettes from behind the bar.

On the introduction on the ban in October, the Health secretary Andrew Lansley said “Cigarette vending machines are often unsupervised, making it easy for children to purchase cigarettes from them.

“The ban on cigarette sales from vending machines will protect children by making cigarettes less accessible to them – we want to do everything we can to encourage young people not to start smoking in the first place.”

Figures from the Department of Health state that nearly all of adult smokers started smoking before they turned 18, and research shows that around 11% of children who smoke buy their cigarettes from vending machines (representing some 35 million cigarettes on an annual basis).

Whilst currently only law in England, it is thought that Scotland and Wales will follow suit in the near future.