Tobacco workshop: Industry needs action now

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The battle to save duty-free tobacco is entering a critical phase, with the next round of World Health Organisation (WHO) meetings on the issue planned for November 22 in Geneva.

At a special workshop in Cannes this morning, a large gathering of industry executives, including many retailers, heard lobbyists call for industry support at local and regional level. IAADFS Washington representative Jon Kent and International Travel Retail Confederation director-general Keith Spinks warned that if tobacco was lost, other categories would follow.

Kent said: "Our message is being increasingly well-received, but we need more support from airports, distributors and suppliers. The problem so far has been that too many people have said "so what if tobacco is lost?" This industry has been slow to mobilize. I firmly believe we can win, but we can't do it ourselves. You need to contact your local representatives on the ground and get your government to take a position on duty-free."

Spinks said: "Duty-free may be a low priority but it's a visible target. It's also one of the first issues on the agenda at the WHO meetings in November. I know that after September 11 there are other issues facing you, but WHO will keep its focus on this issue, so we also need to. The anti-tobacco lobbies are targeting duty-free very aggressively, and for them, health overrides any trade issue."

He said the WHO's proposed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control did not require unanimity, and that many countries could sign up to it without examining the effects on industries such as duty-free. "It could mean chaos if passengers don't known where they can buy tobacco, or to what countries they can take it."

ITRC treasurer Paul Topping called for industry funding to help the ITRC continue its work. He said over $200,000 would be required to fight the cause over the next year. Alpha Retail, he said, had undertaken a survey that showed that 49% of customers would not visit stores if tobacco was unavailable. "This is an alarming statistic, and shows the knock-on effect on other sectors if tobacco goes."