Netherlands to Ban Cigarette Sales in Supermarkets by 2024
Last week, the Dutch government announced that sales of cigarettes and other tobacco products in supermarkets will be banned starting in 2024. The measure is the latest in a series of steps aimed at reducing the local smoking rate. Last month, a plain-pac
Last week, the Dutch government announced that it will ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in supermarkets starting in 2024. This measure is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at reducing the local smoking rate. Last month, a plain packaging regulation came into effect, forcing all cigarette manufacturers to sell cigarettes in the same brown packaging. Additionally, tobacco prices have risen by nearly 20% this year, with the ultimate goal of reaching 10 euros per pack of cigarettes. The government stated that supermarkets account for 55% of all tobacco sales in the Netherlands, and the supermarket ban is expected to eliminate about 11,000 of the country's current 16,000 tobacco sales points. Prior to this, a ban on cigarette vending machines is expected to take effect in 2022. Deputy Minister of Health Paul Blokhuis stated in a statement: "This will prevent many unnecessary deaths and medical suffering."
