UK: Anti-illegal Tobacco Campaign to Roll Out

Source from:  Independent Retail News 01/28/2015

Tobacco company Philip Morris Limited (PML) is aiming to roll out a retailer education programme across the country later this year as part of its campaign to fight the illegal tobacco trade, reports this week's Independent Retail News.

A trial programme in Manchester ended this week and PML is now evaluating the feedback from the retailers who took part in the "Ex-It" campaign.

"We are looking at a national launch this year. We are highly encouraged by the early results," said James Barge, PML's corporate affairs director, UK and Ireland.

PML used its newly created sales force to educate unaffiliated retailers in the city about the impact the illicit tobacco trade can have on their businesses and local communities. The campaign included POS and posters for retailers to display, with messages such as "I care about the community, that's why I don't sell illegal tobacco".

Manchester was chosen after a survey showed the level of bootlegged, smuggled or counterfeit tobacco available in the city had doubled over a year. Test purchasers were able to buy illicit tobacco products on 32 separate occasions over a three-day period, through shops, carpet shops, fast food outlets and even from road sweepers.

PML approached 250 retailers, based on their tobacco sales and customer numbers, of which 198 shopkeepers signed up for the campaign.

At the end of the trial, the retailers were quizzed on their knowledge about the problems associated with the illegal trade and 91 retailers successfully passed the test.

Barge said the first lesson of the pilot programme proved retailers appreciated the chance to have a dialogue about the issues they faced on a local level from the illegal tobacco trade, while PML got valuable feedback from the trade.

PML is now evaluating the results before deciding when to roll out the campaign this year.