Sale of tobacco products - retailer guidance
If you're a business which sells tobacco products on your premises then you'll need to be aware of the laws which control those sales.
Under the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Display) (England) Regulations 2010, it is illegal to display tobacco products and their prices in shops and licensed premises such as pubs and clubs.
Complying with the law
Download our Display of tobacco products and prices guidance (PDF) [197KB] which outlines what you need to do to make sure you comply with the law.
Age verification - check your customer is over 18
As it is illegal to supply tobacco to anyone under the age of 18, age verification checks must be carried out before any tobacco product is shown to a customer who asks to buy tobacco or asks for information about a tobacco product. Find out more about underage sales.
Prosecution
If a person is found guilty of displaying tobacco products illegally, or supplying tobacco to someone under the age of 18, they may face, on conviction:
- a fine of up to £5,000
- imprisonment up to two years
Further advice
Contact Trading Standards for further advice from our trading standards team.