Retailers could have to make major changes to tobacco fixtures days before the peak Christmas trading period after a government clampdown on instore advertising.
New regulations restricting instore PoS to A5 ads on gantries come into force on December 21 - a spectacularly inconvenient time for retailers, said Association of Convenience Stores chief executive David Rae. “It is absurd and insensitive that retailers should be set the date of December 21 by which to comply.
“Changes to point of sale will have to be made at the same time as preparations for the busy Christmas trading period.”
The new regulations will restrict instore advertising to gantries and set a maximum area for PoS material of A5, of
which 30% must be devoted to a health warning.
Window bills, cash mats and large, backlit banners over gantries will be banned, prompting fears that this could lead to changes in the terms under which manufacturers supply gantries if they are not able to gain the benefits of sponsorship, warned Rae.
However, he welcomed news that the government had abandoned plans to impose restrictions on the way retailers printed prices.
Geoffrey Couchman, UK sales director at Imperial Tobacco, said he was disappointed that the government had “continued with its aim of restricting our ability to communicate with our consumers at the point of sale”.
However, he said, Imperial was still “fully committed to supporting retailers by offering instore tobacco units, subject to our current supply terms and conditions.”
Couchman added:“We will continue to do so as long as we are still able to display our products in the way that we currently do.”
Elaine Watson