Sustainability Investors Media Reporting Careers Contact us Worldwide Search About us Our products How we work Our industry Retail display bans Driving tobacco underground Some countries have banned the display of tobacco products in shops. Instead of being on display, the products are hidden under the counter, or behind curtains or screens, making it hard for customers to know what is available. These bans are based on claims that displays encourage people to smoke – especially children – and also demotivate smokers from quitting. The evidence In our view, there’s no clear evidence that display bans have any significant effect on smoking rates – either among children or adults. In Ireland, the first studies conducted after the introduction of the 2009 display ban suggested there was no observable change in adult smoking prevalence. Unintended consequences With tobacco products hidden from view, consumers may struggle to tell whether their purchases are legitimate or black market products. For smaller retailers, display bans could mean being hit with potential refitting costs. It could also mean potentially losing out to larger competitors, as consumers might assume larger stores are more likely to stock their favourite brand. Canadian retailers subject to a retail display ban report that transactions generally take longer, with increased risk of miscommunication and error by retrieving the wrong product for the customer. Shop workers also need to turn their back to the service counter for longer periods, increasing the potential for theft. Distorting competition Display bans obstruct and distort free market competition among tobacco companies and their right to communicate with adult consumers about legally available products. On a purely economic basis, display bans could even lead to increased consumption by encouraging adult smokers to choose products solely on price. A switch to a cheaper brand – or cheap illegal cigarettes – could result in people smoking more. The alternatives Instead of display bans, we’d like to see stronger enforcement of minimum age laws, harsher penalties for retailers caught selling tobacco products to underage smokers and legislation that makes it illegal for adults to buy cigarettes for children. Strong relationships are key Working with retailers A united response to a global problem Fighting the black market Our industry The global market Corporate behaviour Regulation Next Generation Products regulation Plain packaging Retail display bans Alternative crops Ingredients bans Pricing and tax The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Campaigning and engagement Illegal tobacco trade Youth access prevention Home Our industry Regulation Retail display bans Latest tweets BAT Science @BAT_Sci #InVitro toxicological assessment is hugely important as a tool for BAT to assess our vaping and tobacco heating pr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 02 Oct Our UK & Ireland Head of Legal & Ext Affairs Will Hill addresses vaping event, talking about BAT's commitmen… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 02 Oct Current UK share price 3557.00p +54.00p 02 Oct 2018 16:58 Quick Links Modern Slavery Act Statement Gender Pay Report Annual Report Sustainability Report Share price data Worldwide websites Email alerts Site map Contact us British American Tobacco p.l.c. Globe House 4 Temple Place London WC2R 2PG T: +44 (0) 20 7845 1000 Accessibility Privacy Notice Cookie policy Conditions of use Financial information © British American Tobacco