ACS: Shopkeepers could suffer
Monday, 02 Jun 2008 14:04
A ban on the display of tobacco products could cost convenience shops as much as £252 million, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has warned.
The ban is one of the proposals from the Department of Health to reduce the number of young people taking up smoking.
ACS estimates that if a ban was put into force the minimum a single store could expect to pay is £1,850 but this could rise to as much as £4,985 depending on the detailed requirements in any regulation.
It is concerned that evidence on display bans from other countries is not conclusive and in some cases even shows an increase in the smoking rates among young people.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: "What we have found is that changing tobacco displays will bring significant and damaging costs to convenience stores.
"As the picture becomes clearer about what the likely harm to business will be, we have still not seen the convincing evidence that a ban would have the desired effect on underage smoking. If the costs are high and the benefits not clear then the government should not press ahead."