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Six Scottish Sainsbury's supermarkets end cigarette sales
Cigarette sales are being scaled back in response to the health levy
Sainsbury's has confirmed it is to remove tobacco from sale at a further six supermarkets in Scotland.
It said the move is in response to the Scottish government's health levy, a supplementary charge on business rates paid by large stores selling cigarettes and alcohol.
Sainsbury's already operates three supermarkets and one convenience store in Scotland which do not sell tobacco.
The extension of the policy will come into force on Monday 12 November.
The stores covered by the change are at Drumchapel, Garthdee, Hamilton, Saltcoats, Livingston and Leven.
The health levy applies to outlets with a rateable value of more than £300,000.
About 240 of the largest stores in Scotland are thought to be affected.
Ministers estimated that it would raise £110m during its first four years of operation.
A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), commissioned by Asda, claimed that profits from Scottish supermarkets could be reduced by 10% following the introduction of the levy.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: "The public health supplement was introduced in recognition of Scotland's well-documented health and social problems associated with alcohol and tobacco use.
"This government is already taking action fixed - to reduce alcohol and tobacco-related harm through legislation to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol and banning tobacco displays.
"The public health supplement will contribute towards the preventative spend measures that are being taken forward jointly with the Scottish government, local authorities, the NHS and the third sector."
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Comment number 113.
sameoldstory11th November 2012 - 13:44
hmmanother tedious attempt to demonise smokers. thankfully i agve up in january with the assit of e-cigs. only a metter of time before they get taxed to death to. funny how gambling and alchohol is still deemed very socially acceptable tho yet i see way more distress in peoples lives with those 2 habits than anything else ..
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Comment number 97.
DJ20511th November 2012 - 13:25
I myself have never smoked, and I know people who have been seriously affected (even died) as a consequence of the habit.
But, despite my experiences, I am not against smoking. I'm not going to be the one to tell people what to do and what not to do. They smoke knowing full well the potential dangers, and I don't think removing cigarettes from sale in a few shops is going to make a difference.
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Comment number 95.
silenytata11th November 2012 - 13:21
I gave up smoking 5 years ago after watching my mother die of lung cancer. I would just like to point out that the smoking ban in pubs has helped me to stay stopped. In a similar vein, this might help others to quit by not having to see cigarettes on display.
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Comment number 16.
Harsalan8411th November 2012 - 11:16
I like the aliteration.
But the solution to the smoking problem is not to try and hide cigarettes away, it is to try to fight the addiction. Almost nobody can just say "I think I'll give up cigarettes today" and then do so with no help at all.
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Comment number 12.
corncobuk11th November 2012 - 11:11
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Smoking is still legal as far as i know and the government forcing supermarkets to stop selling a legal substance is draconian in the extreme. If it`s in the interests of health then force a levy on the sale of alcohol so that too can be taken from the shelves. This has nothing to do with health but just another money grab by government, just be honest with people.
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Comments 5 of 7