Cigarette vending machine proposals a "burden" and "impossible" say pub landlords

8 October 2009

New Government proposals to stop children buying cigarettes from vending machines would be a burden on business and impossible to carry out, according to a survey of pub landlords in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and published by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The Health Bill, to be debated in Parliament on Monday (12 October), would require bar staff to check age ID before operating the vending machine with a remote control. However, nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of landlords said that this would be impossible during busy times. More than two-thirds (68 per cent) said the proposals would be a significant extra burden on their business.

The proposed legislation would also make staff responsible for sales to anyone underage. Three quarters (75 per cent) of pub landlords said they would rather remove cigarette vending machines than risk prosecution for underage sales.

According to the survey 82 per cent of landlords described the revenue they received from cigarette vending machines as "unimportant". The survey found that nearly half (46 per cent) of landlords earned £500 or less from their vending machine each year, and nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of landlords said that getting rid of vending machines would have no impact on their business.

The charity called on the Government to introduce a full ban as the only way to protect children from smoking. Peter Hollins, Chief Executive of the BHF, said: "The Government's proposals are unworkable and unrealistic. The message from the pub industry is loud and clear, they can't make these proposals work and the loose change they make from these machines isn't worth the hassle of keeping them."

"The only people with a real interest in vending machines are the tobacco industry. Every year young people start a life time's addiction on cigarettes by buying them from a vending machine. The Government needs to be braver and put the interests of children ahead of a commercial lobby."

The BHF is calling for a full ban on cigarette vending machines as they remain an easy way for children to access cigarettes. In 2008, 12 per cent of children and young people who were regular smokers usually bought their cigarettes from vending machines in England. Test purchasing has consistently shown that young people have been able to purchase cigarettes from vending machines. Earlier this year the BHF produced an undercover film showing two 14-year olds buying cigarettes from pubs just yards away from the Houses of Parliament.

Peter Hollins said: "We don't allow other age restricted products like alcohol, fireworks or knives to be sold from vending machines. These are only sold where there is a face to face transaction over the counter.

"Smoking is one of the biggest avoidable causes of death and disease in the country. Yet we continue to allow vending machines which undermine the restrictions already in place, and allow children pick up an addiction they take into adulthood."

The BHF survey interviewed 300 pub landlords in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government published a Bill in February this year including a range of tobacco control measures, one of which is a full ban on cigarette vending machines.

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