NI tobacco smuggling 'widespread'
Shopkeepers have told the government to tackle tobacco smuggling if it wants to cut underage smoking and to abandon thoughts of banning in-store tobacco displays.
Tuesday, 04 August 2009
The selling of smuggled tobacco is so widespread in Northern Ireland that almost nine in ten shopkeepers are aware of its sale in their area, it was revealed on Tuesday.
A new survey showed 87% of shopkeepers were aware of the sales in their area and 37% knew the smugglers were supplying to underage smokers.
It also found 68% of local corner shopkeepers believe a ban on tobacco displays in shops will drive more trade into the black market.
At the same time 68% of those polled said they believe cross-border shopping and tobacco smuggling will get worse over the coming year.
The survey was carried out by the Tobacco Retailers Association as the government considers a move than would ban all tobacco displays in shops in a bid to reduce smoking by the young.
John McKeown, Northern Ireland spokesman for the retailer's association said: "If you take away the right of all retailers to display tobacco, it's going to be the corner shopkeepers who are hardest hit."
Mr McKeown, a shopkeeper in Ballymena, added: "If smokers aren't aware a shop such as mine sells tobacco, they are going to be all the more tempted to get it from car boot sales or sellers on street corners.
"Why wouldn't they, when smugglers can sell at half the price that I can."
He warned if traders were forced to sell from under the counter, the sale of dodgy tobacco would only increase.
'Peer pressure'
"Young people don't take up smoking because they see cigarette packets on display. They start smoking because of peer pressure and because they want to look older than they are," he insisted.
The fact that 37% of retailers were aware smugglers were selling to underage smokers in their area should surely tell the government they should be targeting smuggling rather than retail displays, he said.
"There is, after all, no evidence that a display ban will reduce youth smoking."
Belfast shopkeeper Adrian Boyd added: "Retailers like me are a vital part of our local communities. We need the government to work with us rather than against us and tackle the issue of smuggling head on.
"That way we can continue to provide the valuable service that we do for our customers."
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