Supermarket fine for breaching display ban

A Tesco store has been fined £500 for displaying cigarettes to an underage customer in one of the first cases of its kind.

The supermarket was ordered to pay the fine after test purchasers from Belfast city council were shown cigarettes on display at one of its branches in the city.

Belfast’s trading standards team said it wasn’t part of a plan to nab retailers for showing and displaying cigarettes to people under 18 years old, but a case of testing compliance across all aspects of tobacco legislation.

“We are not attempting to get retailers to display or sell tobacco to children,” said a spokesman.

“We have an ongoing programme and offer advice and guidance on how they can comply with legislation and put in place policies and procedures that should prevent any display or sale of tobacco products to children.”

Make sure you’re selling tobacco within the law with our display ban toolkit.