The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association is helping to make retailers aware that cigarette packs containing existing text health warnings on the back of packs will continue to be supplied by manufacturers until all stock manufactured prior to 1 October 2008 is exhausted. It is perfectly legal to sell these in store until 30 September 2009.

Christopher Ogden, Chief Executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, commented:

“We have seen numerous regulatory interventions take place over the last 15 months with the aim of reducing the prevalence of smoking. These include: the public place smoking ban, the rise in minimum age from 16 to 18, legislation providing for sanctions against retailers who make underage sales and now pictorial health warnings. We believe it is essential the Government ensures a proper assessment of all these policies takes place, supported by credible evidence, before embarking on any further initiatives, such as the ban on the display of tobacco products.”

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Notes to Editors:

1. The TMA is the trade association for tobacco companies that operate in the UK. Our members are British American Tobacco UK Ltd (www.bat.com), Gallaher Ltd (a member of the JTI Group of companies – www.jti.com), and Imperial Tobacco Ltd. (UK). (www.imperial-tobacco.com).

2. Tobacco control legislation

• The raising of the age of sale for tobacco products from 16 to 18 years is now UK-wide since 1^st September 2008.
• The restriction orders provided for under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 will be brought into effect from April 2009 – after this date retailers who flout the minimum age law could have their right to sell tobacco suspended.
• No date has yet been announced for the bringing into effect of the significant additional enforcement powers made available by the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008.

3. Fully committed to youth access prevention

• The TMA completely agrees with the Government that children should not smoke and should be actively discouraged from doing so. The TMA is a principal stakeholder in Citizencard, the UK’s leading proof-of-age scheme [1.8m cards issued] and the (No ID No Sale) campaign operated by CitizenCard which promotes all PASS accredited (Government approved) Proof of Age / ID schemes.
• The key issue is that retailers must be able to establish the age of any potential customer before a sale is made. We fully support sanctions against those retailers who sell to young people, and welcome stronger enforcement of the law to prevent underage sales.
• The NINS campaign has engaged more than 130,000 retailers nationwide and created a culture in which young people expect to be asked to prove their age, and in which retailers accept only the correct ID.

4. Support the retention of tobacco product displays at point of sale in shops

• Displays enable adult consumers to make an informed choice based on availability, price and brand from the wide range of tobacco products.
• Point of sale display is necessary for fair and undistorted competition between manufacturers and between retailers.
• Above the counter displays are necessary as they keep products secure, speed up transaction times and reduce the need for extended verbal communication.
• Tobacco is the most requested FMCG product in retail outlets, with approximately 11million smokers in the UK regularly smoking cigarettes and/or handrolling tobacco products. (1)
• Concealing tobacco products from view will make it easier for traders of smuggled product to blend it into the legal supply chain. The efforts of tobacco companies and HMR&C have led to a reduction of smuggling of genuine tobacco products but this display ban proposal is likely to increase counterfeiting and illicit trade.

(1) General Household Survey plus Continuous Household Survey (Northern Ireland) 2006

“We have been expecting this initiative from the government since engaging with the consultation on the introduction of picture warnings on tobacco packs last year. The government, however, is requiring the new warnings to be placed on all tobacco products in the UK, not just cigarettes.

The introduction of pictorial health warnings on cigarettes is less complex than other tobacco products. But configuring the new warnings to the wide range of pack sizes and shapes for cigars, handrolling and pipe tobacco presents a challenge as no formal EU guidance exists. It is essential, therefore, that the government clarifies the use of picture warnings on these other tobacco packs before production commences.”

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For further information please contact:

Zöe Walker, Manager Corporate Affairs

t: 020 7544 0115
m: 07790 060041
f: 020 7544 0117
e: zwalker@the-tma.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

• Health warnings have been on cigarette packs in the UK since 1971. All UK-based Companies place health warnings on all their packs worldwide even if there is no requirement to do so.
• Since December 2002 manufacturers have complied with UK regulations requiring a 30% front-of-pack and 40% back-of-pack textual warning.