New anti-smoking rules include ban on vending machines
Sunday, April 10th, 2011The UK government has set the guidelines for their new anti-smoking plans, which take a tougher approach to the sale of tobacco and cigarettes by lowering their presence and banning cigarette vending machines.
The changes will include removing all tobacco products and displays to out= of sight locations, such as below the counter, in order to dissuade people from wanting to purchase them. This new law will come into affect from April 2012 for supermarkets and similarly larger shops, while smaller locations aren’t required to make the changes until April 2015. The latter date was originally set as October 2013, but has been pushed back following the takeover of the coalition government from Labour last year.
The other big change being enforced is a ban on cigarette vending machines. This means all vending machines that sell tobacco products must be removed by October 2011, later this year, at the vary latest.
Both of the new rules mentioned above have been met with mixed response. While many are happy at the further removal of tobacco from our mainstream shopping experiences, others are opposed to it. One critic includes a company responsible for manufacturing and distributing the cigarette vending machines. The company currently employs around 150 people and faces closure once the new ban on the machines comes in to force.