The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has unveiled a new awareness campaign to help drive awareness of incoming rules on age verification for the tobacco category.
Aimed at tobacco products retailers, colleagues and consumers, the Decline09 campaign, is backed by leading retailers and the Chartered Institute for Trading Standards, and has been developed in consultation with the Department for Health and Social Care.
Launched at the ACS’ Safe and Responsible Retailing Conference in Birmingham, the Decline09 campaign acts as a reminder to store staff that if someone is born in 2009 or later, they must decline the sale of tobacco.
On 1 January 2027, measures introduced in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill are set to come into force which will mean that anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will be unable to ever legally purchase tobacco products. This marks the first time that an age restricted sales policy has worked on the basis of checking against a single date, rather than checking whether a person is above a prescribed age on the day of purchase.
ACS chief executive Ed Woodall said: “The introduction of the generational tobacco ban will require store colleagues to be trained on a whole new way of checking that someone is of age to purchase tobacco products. The Decline09 campaign aims to simplify that process as much as possible to ensure that colleagues can approach the change with confidence and ensure that they uphold the law.”
Health Minister Sharon Hodgson praised the initiative. “We welcome the support of the Association of Convenience Stores in implementing the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the most significant public health intervention in a generation,” she said. “We are creating the first smoke-free generation and this guidance will help retailers to serve their communities responsibly and in compliance with the law.”
Lead officer for Tobacco, Vaping and Nicotine at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, Kate Pike, added: “Trading Standards have strongly backed the proposal to recognise the uniquely harmful nature of cigarettes and tobacco products through the Smokefree Generation policy. We welcome the constructive guidance for retailers from the Association of Convenience Stores, which explains how to implement the new law in a straightforward and uncomplicated manner. As always, we will continue to support legitimate businesses while taking action against those who persistently ignore their responsibilities.”
As part of the campaign, ACS has put together a one-page guide on the actions that retailers need to do to prepare. This includes replacing the mandatory age of sale notice on 1 January and training colleagues on the new rules. It has also produced social media assets and in-store posters that retailers can utilise to communicate the change in legislation when it comes into force in January.
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