Afrigather The logic of the authorities follows the precept “removed from the eyes, removed from the center” with regards to decreasing smoking charges nationally
Belgium’s Federal Public Well being Service (FPS) introduced that beginning on 1 April 2025 all retailers within the nation won’t be allowed to overtly show the tobacco merchandise they’re promoting. This implies not solely hiding model logos but additionally the precise merchandise as effectively. The intention of the restriction is to curb smoking charges within the nation by making the supply of smoking merchandise much less seen.
The measure was initially presupposed to enter into pressure on 1 January however has been delayed by three months. The ban on shows will apply to the entire vary of tobacco and smoking-related merchandise. These embody cigarettes, cigars, digital cigarettes, filters and cigarette papers, amongst others.
As well as, already this yr, the Belgian authorities has elevated the value of cigarettes by way of taxation, plus it promised to extend the variety of public locations the place smoking will likely be banned.
Indication for retailers
The ban applies to all retailers in Belgium, however to not wholesalers. Failing to adjust to the restriction can imply a danger of imprisonment for one yr and a effective between 2,000 and 800,000 euros!
VapeBel, the federation of vape retailers and distributors in Belgium, says it’s disillusioned, in line with Belga information company. The federation says that specialist shops play a job in efficient age verification and in informing grownup people who smoke about vape merchandise as smoking cessation aids.
VapeBel is asking for an exception for specialist shops – one thing that can be really useful by Belgium’s Superior Well being Council.
This, nonetheless, doesn’t appear to be the method of the federal authorities which needs to make tobacco merchandise nearly invisible to the general public.
Relating to the query of how prospects would then know what tobacco merchandise the store affords, the authorities have indicated that retailers ought to compile tariffs of the merchandise together with the names and types. Nonetheless, these tariffs can’t embody any model logos.
