Scots ban pub cigarette vending machines

Pubs will stop selling cigarettes and will ultimately lose customers if vending machines are banned in Scotland.

That is the reaction of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) to the news yesterday that the Scottish Government intends to ban all cigarette vending machines under the Health Bill.

The Government wants to push all sales under the counter and believes the ban on machines will help stop underage purchases.

"The reality is that if this measure is passed, pubs will simply stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products because of the practicalities and costs of creating storage areas in existing bars and the stock control and security issues around this," said SBPA chief executive Patrick Browne.

"Vending machines provide pub customers with an opportunity to make distress purchases whilst they are visiting their local pub.

"If they lose the opportunity to do that then there is a risk that they won't simply stop

buying cigarettes in the pub, but that they will leave the pub altogether.

"Under current and future licensing laws in Scotland, children and young people are generally only allowed into specific areas of a licensed premises under the supervision of adults, if at all, so banning cigarette vending machines in pubs will have a minimal effect on stopping underage sales."

He added: "We are disappointed the Scottish Government appears not to have chosen to look at other methods of better controlling access to vending machines by the use of tokens issued by staff at a bar or through remotely authorised vending machines."