Tobacco Sellers Resist Bid to Outlaw Displays

By HILL, Ruth

SHOPKEEPERS say their profits will go up in smoke if the Government follows a recommendation to outlaw in-store tobacco displays.

But health authorities argue the move will cut youth smoking and lower the smoking death toll of 5000 every year.

Cancer Society chief executive Dalton Kelly — whose petition in support of a ban received 20,000 signatures — said children walking into the country’s 10,000 retail stores were confronted by "a power- wall of tobacco advertising".

Cigarette advertising has been largely banned for 20 years, except inside stores. "We hope it will be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

"About 5000 people die in New Zealand each year as a result of smoking and that means tobacco companies have to find 5000 new customers each year just to hold their ground."

The parliamentary health select committee’s report, issued yesterday, found tobacco displays could "create a false impression of the safety, social acceptability, and prevalence of tobacco use".

National MP Jo Goodhew said its four MPs on the committee had voted against the ban because they believed "more robust international evidence" was needed.

Smoking rates had already dropped from 23.4 per cent in 2002-03 to 18.87 per cent in 2006-07 without a ban.

"We’re not ruling it out, but we would like to see an evidence- based approach to this . . . Some New Zealanders will see this as the nanny state butting in again."

The Association of Convenience Stores said moving display units would cost retailers thousands, cut revenue and put its members in danger of assault by customers.

British American Tobacco — which sells three-quarters of cigarettes in New Zealand — said it "supported the views of many retailers who say a ban on the retail display of tobacco products will have a significant impact on the viability of their businesses".

However, the report quoted the examples of Ireland and Iceland, which have banned displays, where there had been "no cost or minimal costs to retailers".

Action on Smoking and Health director Ben Youdan said in-store displays were one of the last bastions of cigarette marketing.

"Tobacco is not a regular product. It kills half the people who use it, yet for too long we have allowed these addictive and deadly poisons to be sold next to the milk and chocolates."

Health Ministry spokesman Brendon Baker said more than 80 per cent of the 557 submissions supported a ban on retail tobacco displays. From a public health perspective, the ministry also supported a ban.

Meanwhile, nearly three- quarters of respondents to an evaluation of a youth-targeted "Smoking Not Our Future"campaign agreed the ads make smoking seem "less cool".

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A DYING HABIT

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* How many Kiwis smoke?

About 620,000.

* How many have quit?

Smoking rates have dropped from 23.4 per cent in 2002-03 to 18.7 per cent in 2006-07 — that’s about 141,000 Kiwis who kicked the habit or died in that time.

* How much money do tobacco companies make?

British American Tobacco (76 per cent of the market) made an after-tax profit of almost $98.5 million last year. Imperial Tobacco New Zealand Ltd (15 per cent) made $11.7 million and Philip Morris (6 per cent) almost $2 million.

* How much does smoking cost taxpayers?

The Health Ministry estimated the cost of smoking to the New Zealand economy in 2005 was $1.686 billion.

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‘Don’t sell cigarettes, Daddy’

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uick-E-Mart owner Rustin Nahulandran does not need the Government to remind him cigarettes are not good for people — his four-year- old son tells him that.

"He tells me, ‘You shouldn’t sell cigarettes, Daddy, they’re bad’.

"But like it or not, our livelihood depends on selling people the products they want — and people still want cigarettes."

Even if retail displays were banned, the tobacco giants would find a way to make sure their profits did not take a cut, he said.

"It’s us retailers who will pay the price for this and the pressure will come on us big time."

According to the Association of Convenience Stores, almost 40 per cent of members’ profits come from sales of tobacco products.

Some retailers told The Dominion Post that up to half their sales were in cigarettes.

The Health Ministry’s investigation into alleged kickbacks by tobacco companies to retailers is continuing. A spokesman said the ministry was still in talks about whether financial arrangements could breach the smoke-free law.

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