Convenience stores bear brunt of new tobacco legislation in Australia

Convenience stores and forecourt retailers carry the sole burden of tobacco legislation, which is designed to prevent youth smoking in Australia.

That is the view of the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS).

Writing in the February edition of Global Convenience Store Focus, Sheryle Moon, executive director at the AACS, said the Association has called on lawmakers to make it illegal for under-18s to smoke and introduce prosecution and penalties for those who are caught in the act. "While it is illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under 18, it isn't illegal for kids to possess a packet of smokes or have a puff," she said.

"Convenience stores, corner shops and petrol stations carry the sole burden of legal responsibility for preventing youth smoking and they are being hit with large fines if they don't." That contrasts sharply with rules on selling alcohol to under-18s, she said. "Under liquor laws, if a child is sold or given liquor on licensed premises, both the child and the licensee have committed an offence and can be punished accordingly. Yet, when it comes to the sale of tobacco products, only the retailer is penalised."

Convenience retailers in Australia are adapting to further onerous tobacco legislation in 2010, said Moon.

Point of sale restrictions were introduced in New South Wales (only one POS for tobacco sales) and retail display bans enforced for large organisations (over 50 employees) from 1 January 2010. All other retailers will have to comply from 1 July 2010. Victoria and Western Australia will introduce retail display bans, effective January 2011. Moon said the AACS was on alert for the remaining states and territories to fall in line with the existing restrictions.

"In 2010 AACS will continue to question the validity of these approaches, given there is no research evidence that supports the health outcomes claimed by policy makers and regulatory enforcers of these legislative moves," she said.

Moon said the Association is also currently responding to a senate inquiry into plain packaging on the basis this is policy making without any evidence of successful health outcomes.

NACS, the international Association for Convenience and Petroleum Retail, will be hosting its 2010 Global Forum in Sydney, Australia, June 19-21. For further information visit: nacsonline.com