August 2009 - Shopkeepers foresee tobacco display ban aiding black market
Further results released from a survey commissioned by the Tobacco Retailers Association (TRA) show three-quarters (76%) of shopkeepers believing that a tobacco display ban could result in trade being displaced to the black market.
Other notable findings from the survey include:
- 69% think that cross-border shopping and tobacco smuggling will get worse over the next 12 months
- 65% would like to see the Government reduce or freeze tobacco taxes so as to reduce tobacco smuggling and cross-border shopping
- 56% are aware of smuggled / counterfeit tobacco products being sold in their area and of these 40% say they know of smugglers supplying underage smokers
The findings are based on replies to questionnaires distributed to all tobacco retailer members of the TRA during January and February 2009. A total of 1,114 self-completion questionnaires were returned to and analysed by ORB.
The TRA is a coalition of 26,000 independent retailers who all sell tobacco products
TRA MUQ NEWSROOM 5.8.09.doc
|