Plain Packaging for Tobacco May Impact Retailers

Media release: 31 May 2016

Plain Packaging for Tobacco May Impact Retailers And Consumers

Retail NZ is warning that proposed plain packaging rules for tobacco products will add significant complexity for small dairies, who already face a raft of regulations around tobacco sales.

“Tobacco’s a legal product, but its sale is highly regulated,” Retail NZ General Manager Public Affairs Greg Harford said today. “If the Government moves to introduce plain packaging will make it increasingly hard for small dairies at the heart of New Zealand communities to service customers.

“Last week’s announcements about massive tax hikes on the price of tobacco creates real security risks for small retailers, and plain packaging will add even more complexity to stock management within dairies, and cause inconvenience for consumers.

“Anecdotally, we hear of untaxed tobacco being sold in parts of New Zealand. While the Government is working to reduce smoking rates, it would be unfortunate if new regulations had unintended consequences, such as pushing people towards black market sources of tobacco product”.

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