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Major UK supermarkets, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, have been accused of displaying “prohibited” adverts for tobacco in their stores. Trading Standards indicate the stores are breaking the law with the displays promoting nicotine-delivering devices using heated tobacco instead of burning it. Despite the 2002 ban on tobacco advertising, posters and video screens were spotted advertising iQos, while Morrisons were noted as running ads promoting a similar product called Ploom. Alternative nicotine delivery devices are growing in popularity as cigarette sales dwindle.
The two supermarket chains believe the 2002 advertising ban doesn’t apply to these devices despite the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) stating that the ads are illegal. The CTSI argues that due to stretched resources, it’s harder to police this as it has never been tested in court. The UK’s governmental position on the ads is unclear, with the government spokesperson stating it wouldn’t say if it still considers advertising heated tobacco to be prohibited, but its forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban all advertising of nicotine and tobacco products, including nicotine pouches and vapes.
According to Lion Shahab, co-director of the tobacco and alcohol research group at University College, London, since heated tobacco involves no combustion, it is likely less harmful than cigarettes. However, it’s been suggested it could be more harmful than e-cigarettes and less effective at helping smokers quit. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, has labelled supermarkets advertising the devices “disgraceful behaviour,” as it puts pressure on overstretched enforcement services and risks introducing young people to new tobacco products.
Although Sainsbury’s and Morrisons state they are following regulations and aren’t selling the products to children, there has been an increase in ads, and the UK’s biggest supermarket, Tesco, claims that it does not run tobacco ads. The rise in counterfeit cigarettes is concerning governance. Therefore the UK is investing in innovations like invisible dust to detect the disregard for the law that usually comes with lost revenue to sales tax. The Government uses such technology to mitigate the threat of lost revenue from the illegal tobacco trafficking market, which is estimated to cost £1.8bn
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