The British parliament has today voted to adopt plain packaging of cigarettes similar to what has been adopted in Australia.
I’ve met plenty of UK newsagents who rely on tobacco sales in their businesses. One told me it accounted for 75% of revenue.
This move is a reminder to run our businesses such that we do not rely on one single supplier or category for the existence of our business.
On the health front, tobacco sales in Australia continue to fall.
Personally I think plain packaging has made zero difference in the amount of smokers , you talk to anyone that has quit in the last few years and no one will ever say because the packet has no colour, it is because of the rising cost smokers are quitting . Plain packaging has just made it hard on the retailer and thats about it .
SA Premier says sales are up
If anything the ciggy companies profits are higher due to printing plain packaging would be cheaper than different colours for each brand and type .
Not sure the SA Premier is an appropriate source for data.
Be interesting if the decline continues at that rate, or if we are getting to that point where those still smoking are less adverse to price increases, thinking we are getting to that point.
i have 2 regulars who sometimes run out of money and need cigs ,so i got no choice but to let them pay later since they are regulars
Eric , that was one of the reasons I got out of selling smokes , people always wanting to book up , then you don’t see them for weeks so really it cost you sales by letting them book up ,well I my case it did .
Speaking to some staff who work the service counters at Woolies cigs sales are definitely down there. Unless people are buying them somewhere else cheaper then you would have to think they are on a downward trend. My old BATA rep tells me exactly the same story.