Site last updated on August 13, 2010.
A small number of countries have banned the display of tobacco products at the point of sale, arguing this is a necessary step to prevent people, particularly youth, from smoking.
The results so far seem to suggest that this is not the case.
Many have contended that a display ban is ineffective at reducing smoking, is costly for retailers to implement and leads to serious adverse consequences such as an increase in illegal cigarettes.
Denmark and Sweden have both recently rejected calls for banning the display of tobacco products citing the lack of evidence that it results in reduced smoking rates.
Information on display bans
A point of sale display ban is legislation prohibiting the display of any tobacco products at retail outlets.
Retailers, consumers, manufacturers and government enforcement agencies are negatively affected by point of sales display bans.
On March 9, 2010, Philip Morris Norway AS announced a lawsuit challenging the Norwegian product display ban.
Click here for press release (Eng)
Click here for press release (Nor)
Reports and Studie
Institute of Economic Affairs 2010 study
A recent report examined smoking rates following display bans in Canada, Iceland, Ireland and Thailand, and concluded that “a powerful and growing body of research evidence clearly points to the probability that each country that implements a new tobacco display ban risks significant economic damage and a deterioration in public health.”
Click here for the full report
Philip Morris International Management S.A.(PMIMSA) does not support a ban on the display of tobacco products at the point of sale. We are a supporter of regulation of tobacco products but believe that display bans are ineffective legislation, not proven to have any effect in reducing smoking. We believe that adult smokers should be able to see and select the brands they prefer at the point of sale.
We have developed this website in order to provide factual information on the prohibition of the display of tobacco products at point of sale and describe its effects on public health, adult smokers, retailers, manufacturers of tobacco products and enforcement agencies.