​An All Party Group (APPG) on Smoking and Health heard on November 1, 2022, the results of a survey showing that the majority of tobacco retailers support existing tobacco laws and also tougher regulations in future including a levy on tobacco manufacturers to pay for measures to help smokers quit, and raising the age of sale to 21.

Bob Blackman, chairman of the APPG, has secured the first backbench debate under the new government on November 3, 2022, and plans to raise the findings of the survey in the debate.

Bob said, “The main argument used by tobacco manufacturers’ against tobacco laws with politicians like me is that they harm small shops. What this survey of nearly 1,000 shopkeepers published today shows is that shopkeepers don’t think that’s true. The majority support existing regulations and want the government to go further including by raising the age of sale for tobacco to 21.

“On November 3, 2022, in a debate in the main chamber, I will be calling on the government to publish a Tobacco Control Plan to deliver the smokefree 2030 ambition without further delay. I’ll be urging the government to listen to retailers who want the government to implement tougher regulations, that’s what they think will be good for business, not de-regulation.”

The full findings of the survey of 961 independent tobacco retailers including newsagents, convenience stores, off-licences and petrol stations, commissioned by the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), were published by ASH in ‘Regulation is not a dirty word’.

  • 73 per cent support a requirement for tobacco manufacturers to pay a fee to Government for measures to help smokers quit and prevent young people from taking up smoking. (10 per cent oppose)
  • 54 per cent support raising the age of sale for cigarettes from 18 to 21 years (27 per cent oppose)
  • 81 per cent of local retailers in England support the introduction of a mandatory retail licence in order to sell tobacco (nine per cent oppose)
  • 83 per cent support mandatory age verification for anyone under 25 (five per cent oppose)

Furthermore, nearly three quarters (71 per cent) support larger fines for breaking the law, 81 per cent support more regular checks by trading standards staff, 84 per cent support quicker action when offences take place and 79 per cent support closure orders for repeated breaches of tobacco laws.

John McClurey, a retired local retailer in Gateshead said, “I’m not the exception, this survey proves what I have always believed, that the majority of retailers support tobacco regulations and want them to go further. We know that smoking is bad for smokers, and it’s bad for business too as it kills our customers. Tougher regulation would help stop underage sales and sales of cheap and illicit tobacco and is the only way to bring about the end of smoking. The government should listen to shopkeepers like me and take the tough action needed to deliver a Smokefree 2030.”

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health said, “To achieve a smokefree 2030, the government needs to ratchet up regulations to support smokers to quit and to prevent young people starting to smoke. Just like the public, the majority of retailers support key measures needed to bring smoking to an end, such as increasing the age of sale, introducing a tobacco licence and making tobacco manufacturers pay to help smokers quit.

"Retailers aren’t anti-regulation, they know that good regulation can make their lives easier by ensuring there’s a level playing field. That’s why they want to see the gaping hole in retail regulation closed through the introduction of a mandatory tobacco licence backed up by stronger penalties for breaking the law.”

John Herriman, chief executive Chartered Trading Standards Institute said, “Trading Standards professionals deal with tobacco retailers every day, and we know that the majority of them are law abiding, and understand the need for increased enforcement to stop unscrupulous traders willing to sell cheap and illicit tobacco, and to sell to children. A mandatory licence to sell tobacco and age verification for anyone who looks under 25 would make it easier for trading standards to enforce the law, to the benefit of reputable retailers.”

There is currently no licensing scheme in place for tobacco, a product which kills up to two-thirds of its users and no mandatory age verification both of which are supported by over 8 in 10 local retailers of tobacco.

Retailers are used to complying with alcohol licensing schemes and are already required to have an economic operator ID before they can trade in tobacco as part of tobacco pack tracking regulations. Mandatory age verification for anyone looking under 25, as has been the case in Scotland since 2017, would make enforcement in England easier both for tobacco and alcohol.

A requirement for tobacco retailers to be licenced could help prevent sales to children and illicit tobacco by giving local authorities greater powers to take effective action against those who do not adhere to the regulations.

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