Speaking as the Department of Health (DOH) consultation on the future of tobacco control closes this week, the Institute of Sales Promotion's director of legal services, Philip Circus, condemned the proposals, which include banning cigarette displays and vending machines. The use of plain packaging to deter children from picking up the habit is also under consideration.
Circus said the proposals would not reduce the incidence of smoking in children and might have the opposite effect, as banned cigarettes would be seen as more desirable.
He also said the move to cover up cigarette displays would be 'very difficult to enforce'. 'This is wrong and misplaced,' added Circus. 'It's a lawful product and should be allowed to be shown in a retail environment.'
Last week, Cancer Research UK gave its support to the DOH proposals, calling POS displays 'the silent salesman' that had increased in significance after the banning of smoking ads and sponsorship deals. The charity cited a Stirling University study that found half of teenagers were aware of checkout marketing of cigarettes. The likelihood of a child taking up smoking increased by 35% for every tobacco brand they know, the study said.
A DOH spokesperson said the department had received a very high response rate to the consultation and would give a formal response shortly.
The Scottish government has prepared a bill that restricts POS display and prevents the sale of cigarettes in packs of 10.
Last year, smoking was banned from public places in England following similar moves in Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
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