From: Telegraph & Argus
Pressure on the Government to drop plans for plain packaging of tobacco products has increased as a new survey today shows that most of the region’s petrol forecourt retailers fear it would hit their trade – and betray the Government’s pledge to help small businesses.
The new poll also underlines warnings that banning branded packets would boost the trade in counterfeit cigarettes issued by the UK packaging industry and backed by two Bradford firms.
According to the Petrol Retailers Association findings, 80 per cent of Yorkshire retailers believe the trade in illicit tobacco hurts their business and decreases annual sales revenue, with more than 40 per cent saying that an increase in sales of illicit tobacco products could lead to job losses.
Sixty per cent of respondents said buying counterfeit products was “very or quite easy” and 65 per cent said Trading Standards should be doing more to tackle the problem.
