Dutch MPs want to ban cigarette sales at supermarkets and gas stations

A majority in the House of Representatives is behind plans to stops sales of cigarettes in Dutch supermarkets and gas stations by next year. The Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the ChristenUnie, responsible for the motion, believe tobacco products should only be available in specialist shops.

Stop cigarette sales

The parties want the government to make agreements with the parent companies of supermarkets and gas stations regarding this issue. If supermarkets and gas stations do not comply with the rules, they could then compel them with a legal obligation.

Right now, supermarkets and gas stations are preparing for the ban on the visible display of tobacco products. This ban will be implemented on July 1. For smaller retailers, it will be put in place on January 1, 2021.

CDA and the ChristenUnie want to take things a step further and stop the sale of tobacco products in these locations altogether. Their plan is backed by CDA, the ChristenUnie, D66, SP, GroenLinks, PvdA, 50Plus, Partij voor de Dieren and SGP, which together hold 91 seats.

Cigarettes only in specialist shops

Where will you be able to buy cigarettes if they are no longer sold in supermarkets? Well, if the motion goes ahead, you’ll only be able to find tobacco products at specialist shops. For CDA MP Anne Kuik it seems as though more and more supermarkets are popping up and thus more sales points, even though a reduction in tobacco sales point was agreed upon in the prevention agreement.

According to ChristenUnie MP Carla Dik-Faber, “Every year, 19.000 people die as a consequence of tobacco addiction.” Tobacco is available at thousands of locations. Dik-Faber feels that this “is inexplicable if we want to move towards a smoke-free generation.”