Retailers should act now to protect their businesses against the increasing threat of illicit tobacco, according to a new report from JTI.
The company, makers of brands including Benson & Hedges, Mayfair and Silk Cut, has produced the report, headlined ‘Tobacco Smuggling: A UK Challenge’, to highlight the cost to retailers of illegally produced and smuggled cigarettes and roll your own tobacco.
The impact on retailers across the country, caused primarily by increasing taxes and the relaxation of UK border control, is huge, according to figures from JTI’s own surveys, related in the report.
Up to 24 per cent of all cigarettes consumed in the north of England are non-UK duty paid, according to the JTI Pack Swap survey, with the figure around 20 per cent in London, 19 per cent in the north east and 18 per cent in the north west of the country.
Speaking at the launch of the report, JTI head of communications Jeremy Blackburn said that “legitimate retailers need to protect their businesses from criminals that steal customers and profit from them on a daily basis” and urged retailers to get in touch with Customs if they had any problems with illegal tobacco in their area.
Katherine Graham
22/10/2010
This is a serious problem for retailers who cannot afford to lose trade like this to the illicit market. Criminals who sell illegal tobacco don’t care about the age of their customers, but legitimate retailers ask for proof-of-age, so the black market provides a huge avenue of access to tobacco by underage smokers. Any retailer concerned about smuggled, counterfeit or illicit cheap white tobacco being sold in their area can call us at the Tobacco Retailers Alliance on 0800 00 82 82.
Debbie Corris
22/10/2010
The high taxation on tobacco in this country is the root cause of the serious smuggling problems we have, the legitimate retailer is having to cope with more & more legislation being piled on them & at the same time seeing their business diminish because of smuggled & counterfeit tobacco being sold around them. The problem is getting worse by the day & when the price goes up yet again with the increase in VAT the smugglers will be rubbing their hands together, as their business booms ours will disappear.
Ken Patel
22/10/2010
I Ken Patel Agree With Both above Comments.
One thing I would Like to add Is That when display Ban Comes Into Force These Smugglers will Be Laughing all The Way to Bank.
This Ban Will Also Make Some Retailers ‘Mix The Stock To Make Extra Profit’.
ian layton
24/10/2010
Have we all given up on the display ban? I thought it was still being considered. While there`s a shred of hope that commonsense may prevail, we must fight the ban because we know that it will increase youth smoking rates, it will boost the illicit trade, it will expose our youth to impure product, it will cost us money to implement and may cost us our businesses. If you haven`t yet informed your MP (shame on you if you haven`t!), now`s the time to do it.