Slump in cigarette sales following new packaging laws
Cigarette retailers have seen a dip in sales since laws enforcing plain packaging were introduced, according to a recent report.
And two thirds of independent retailers were left with stock they could no longer legally sell, according to a report in trade magazine The Grocer.
The ban on packets of 10 cigarettes has caused sales to drop since the new rules were introduced on May 20 alongside the new graphic health warnings on the otherwise plain packs.
The ban, which also outlawed menthol cigarettes and smaller (30g) bags of rolling tobacco, saw the cheapest packet of cigarettes costing £8.82, according to research by consultants Him.