THE Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has launched guidance for retailers ahead of the menthol ban this spring.
From 20 May, the sale of menthol cigarettes will be prohibited in the UK. The ban also applies to capsule, click on, click & roll, crushball or dual menthol cigarettes. It does not apply to heated tobacco or e-cigarette products.
There is no sell-through period for the menthol ban, which means that retailers must have sold any remaining stock by the 20 May deadline.
Figures from the latest ACS Voice of Local Shops survey revealed that one in four independent retailers are currently unaware of the menthol ban.
The ACS’s new guidance, which is available for download from the association’s website, provides information on products included in the ban, as well as penalties for non-compliance and advice on how to communicate the ban with customers. A poster communicating the ban is also available to retailers and can be downloaded from the ACS website.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “It is vital that retailers understand what their responsibilities are in terms of implementing the ban in store, selling through existing stock and communicating the information to customers.
“The guidance is part of our Assured Advice scheme, which gives sound advice and legal assurance to retailers who sign up to our scheme and follow it.”
