Retailer Paul Cheema is continuing his Protect Your Store, Have Your Say campaign with a renewed focus on securing a fair tobacco and nicotine licensing system and stronger enforcement against illicit traders. This is amid retailer concern that the Government’s promised consultation on licensing will now not take place until next year.
The next stage of the campaign urges convenience retailers across the UK to contact their local MPs ahead of this Government consultation following the Tobacco and Vapes Act. The campaign warns that the issue cannot be pushed further down the road while responsible retailers continue to be undermined by illegal operators.
Through the Protect Your Store, Have Your Say website, retailers can find their MP’s contact details, open a ready-written email template, add their name and store details, and send it directly. The aim is to make it quick and simple for independent retailers to ensure their experiences are heard by key decision makers.
The letter asks MPs to raise the concerns of local convenience stores with relevant Government departments and support three specific measures.
The first is a tobacco and nicotine licensing scheme with a £1,000 fee. The campaign is also calling for licences to be limited to legitimate retail premises, such as convenience and grocery stores, rather than unrelated businesses including barber shops, salons and phone shops.
The second ask is for all income raised through licence fees to be directed into local Trading Standards teams and police forces. This would provide more resources to tackle illicit tobacco and vape sales and disrupt the organised crime linked to illegal trading.
The third surrounds tougher penalties. Cheema’s campaign is calling for a minimum £5,000 fine for a first offence involving illicit nicotine products or sales to children. Repeat offences could then lead to licence suspension, while stores selling tobacco or nicotine products without a licence should face immediate closure.
Paul Cheema said: “Retailers want regulation that is practical, proportionate and properly enforced. Too often, we are expected to meet increasingly demanding requirements while illegal traders continue to operate with little consequence.
“The Government should not be distracted by this further consultation on vape packaging, flavour descriptions and displays. New standards will achieve little without effective enforcement. The priority must be a robust retail licensing scheme, backed by meaningful consequences for those who break the law.
“My renewed campaign gives retailers a simple way to speak directly to their MP and explain the problems affecting our high streets every day. The more voices that take part, the harder it will be for Government to ignore the need for robust licensing and enforcement that protects shops, staff, children and the wider community.”
Retailers can get involved by visiting the Protect Your Store, Have Your Say website, finding their local MP and sending the campaign email directly to them.
Head to https://protectyourstore.co.uk/ and find out more.
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