Ban on display of tobacco products to hit duty free shops

DUTY FREE shops run by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) are unable to avail of a special exemption from the new ban on the display of tobacco in retail stores because the Government failed to introduce promised legislation in time for the ban’s introduction today.

While former minister of state for health Mary Wallace made a public commitment in March to enact a special law before today’s deadline to empower the DAA and other airport operators to display a “pictorial list” of tobacco products in duty free shops, the required legislation has yet to be published.

This means the DAA will be unable to display tobacco products, traditionally a big source of revenue for its duty free business.

“The legislation required for this exemption has yet to be enacted,” said a spokesman for the Department of Health.

“As such, duty free outlets will be required to comply with all aspects of the Public Health Tobacco Acts 2002 and 2004.”

Although the spokesman added that the Government hopes to publish the legislation in question within the next week, it is unclear whether it will be enacted before upcoming summer recess.

“Because of the special nature of duty free sales, the full range of the new measures will not apply to duty free sales,” he said.

“They will be required to keep tobacco products in a closed container and self service will no longer be permitted, but they will be allowed to keep the ‘pictorial list’ of tobacco products which they stock on permanent display.”

The DAA said the planned exemption, which is to be in force until 2013, was designed to align Irish airports with UK airports.

“The DAA will comply with the law as it is framed, and remains hopeful that the amendment signalled earlier this year will be introduced shortly,” a spokesman said.