Fed reacts with concern to proposed vape display ban

Hemanshu Patel, National President of the Fed

The Fed has reacted with concern to proposals for a vape display ban similar to that already in place for cigarettes, following the launch of a Government consultation, spearheaded by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Commenting, the Fed National President, Hemanshu Patel, said: “The Fed’s members are adjusting to significant regulatory change in a range of areas, including tobacco products and now vapes. The Fed strongly supports existing measures to prevent children using vapes through proper enforcement of age checks and is also calling for greater support from trading standards and other units within law enforcement to help them in this area and to deal with greater regulatory change in general.

“However, we are concerned about the scale and cost of rapid change which retailers will need to prepare for, and the need for adult customers to have the information and product variety they need, so they can continue to use vapes to move away from smoking tobacco.”

“The Fed will be completing the consultation in the 12-week window in which this remains open after fully engaging with member concern on this topic.”

The measures could involve significant display overhaul for retailers, new white packaging for vapes and nicotine products, and limits on the design of vape devices. As part of the consultation, which will be open until October, the Fed is likely to share evidence of the cost and upheaval associated with the changes for independent retailers who are already stretched. Further details of the Government consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/tobacco-and-vapes-packaging-appearance-and-display as well as the Fed’s reaction on the Tobacco and Vapes Act when it received Royal Assent in April.