Supermarkets Quickly Building Specialty Tobacco Stores
Almere – Several supermarkets in Almere are in the process of constructing separate extensions to their stores where, even after July 1st, (e-)cigarettes and other tobacco products can be sold. The GGD and Alderman Froukje de Jonge describe this as an ‘undesirable development’.
As of July 1st, it will be prohibited for supermarkets and all hospitality establishments to sell tobacco and e-cigarettes. The sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes will only be possible in special tobacco stores. For example, at least at the Albert Heijn locations in Kruidenwijk and Meerveldstraat, a tobacco store is currently being built. The PLUS store in the Seizoenenbuurt in Buiten has had a separate tobacco store for some time.
Undesirable
Alderman Froukje de Jonge calls the construction of tobacco stores at supermarkets ‘undesirable’. “We are all trying to work towards a smoke-free generation. It doesn’t help if supermarkets don’t take responsibility for that.” The alderman plans to further discuss what measures can be taken next week.
Discouraging
Marc Willemsen from the Trimbos Institute is pleased that the municipality of Almere at least wants to consider how to address this development. “Because the prohibition measure was precisely introduced to discourage smoking. The goal is to reduce the number of smokers in the Netherlands and improve the health of the population. Legally, the sales ban from the government is not completely watertight. Some entrepreneurs then take advantage of this. We will monitor how this development unfolds in the coming months and will then evaluate and address it.”
Non-smoking should be the norm
Madelein Boers of GGD Flevoland suggests that there may be little to do legally. “I am, of course, not a lawyer, but morally you can question whether this is desirable. Like the alderman, we also find this to be an undesirable development. Nationally, the GGD continues to address this issue. We are trying to work towards a smoke-free generation. Non-smoking should be the norm. But you have to do that together and at all levels.”