ACS Sets Out Opposition to Plans for Fee Paying Tobacco Register in Wales

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has made clear its intention to resist plans to impose a costly and unnecessary tobacco registration system in Wales. 

The proposal is to require all retailers selling tobacco in Wales to pay a £30 fee to register with their local authority and then pay a £20 re-registration fee every three years. As well as these direct costs retailers will face, other costs in terms of managing the registration process and meeting the requirements of the registration scheme. 

The proposal was set out in a White Paper, published today by Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services, which is now subject to consultation and ACS will be responding to it. The White Paper also sets out intentions to support the introduction of a 50p minimum unit price for alcohol and a ban on the consumption of e-cigarettes in public places.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “A Tobacco Retailers Register is a costly, bureaucratic and completely unnecessary burden to impose on retailers in Wales. There is no evidence that tobacco register would reduce youth access to tobacco, but it would impose costs and burdens on legitimate retailers who are already working hard to do the right thing. Enforcement agencies across the UK should be using their existing powers to stop under age sales, and to target illegal operators selling illegal non-UK duty paid and counterfeit tobacco."

Mr Lowman also commented on minimum unit pricing for alcohol: “We are not convinced that minimum unit pricing is the most effective measure for tackling alcohol related health harms, but we would not oppose its introduction as a consistent policy throughout the UK. However, we are very concerned by a situation where there could be a number of different pricing rules imposed in different parts of the UK and we will make this clear in our response to the consultation."