May 2018

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on the UK government to provide clarity on the new EU track and trace requirements for tobacco products. The government has said that there will be no fees associated with the application process for the codes, but there is still a lack of clarity over the time that retailers will be given to apply for the codes, and there are still “unanswered questions” about the operation of the regulations. Read More

Talking Retail reports on a new study highlighting the impact of plain packaging regulation in the UK on the one year anniversary of its introduction. The study shows that 58% of retailers are aware of fake (counterfeit) plain packaged tobacco products being sold in their local area, while 72% believe that there is more illegal or very cheap tobacco sold in their local area than before plain packaging was introduced. Read More

A new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs attacks the disastrous practice of governments using sin taxes to change the behaviour of their citizens. The report follows a joint call from Michael Bloomberg and the WHO to use “intelligent taxation” to raise the price of products such as tobacco. Such taxation, the IEA argues, is regressive and far overreaches the proper competencies of the State. Read More

Il Sole 24 Ore reports that countries such as Belarus and Ukraine are key routes for cigarettes smuggled into Italy. Experts stress that smuggling would not be possible if it were not combined with a high rate of corruption in the public institutions of many eastern countries. Another main route for ‘cheap whites’ entering the country is through Libya, due to its unstable political situation. Cigarette smuggling costs EU member states €10 billion a year. Read More