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CSNA NEWS
CSNA NEWS pre-legislative scrutiny to start on tobacco licensing and Vaping Controls Bill
JOHN PAUL LONERGAN, national president, CSNA
The CSNA notes the intention of the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to commence the prelegislative scrutiny of the long-delayed bill on tobacco licensing and vaping controls. In response to a parliamentary question (PQ) on lung screening, the Minister told Deputy Cathal Crowe that the bill will provide for the licencing of retailers, outlaw self-service vending machines and set age controls for those selling tobacco products in addition to putting a series of control measures in place for e-cigarettes and vaping products. The association expects to be invited to provide oral testimony to our lengthy written submission in which we advocate a number of amendments to the bill, particularly in the area of annual fees, the role of the Department of Health and penalties.
The CSNA will advocate for a number of changes to be made to the Tobacco Licensing and Vaping Controls Bill
lottery agrees to pay “next tier” seller’s bonus for capped period Following discussions between Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) and the CSNA regarding the provision of a seller’s prize to agents, we are delighted to inform members that it was been agreed that any agent that sells the winning ticket for the second-tier prize will receive a seller’s prize if the €19m capped jackpot has not been won. The Lottery company has agreed to make a payment of €5,000 to those agents and has also agreed to reward retrospectively the sellers of the winning draw on Saturday, 23
Any agent that sells the winning ticket for the second-tier prize will receive a seller’s prize if the €19m capped jackpot has not been won
October, both of whom are Dublin-based. There are a further two agent beneficiaries following the draw on Wednesday, 27 October. As members will be aware, the CSNA negotiated the seller’s prize concept at the commencement of the Lotto, ensured it was extended to apply to Euromillions and were also the primary negotiators on the retention of the 6% Agent’s Commission with the Department of Public Expenditure at the time of the sale of the 20-year licence.
Csna expresses concern about tobacco pricing and Budgets
The CSNA believes that retailers should be the only grouping that determines the retail price of cigarettes in their stores
This year, each of the four companies that place cigarettes onto the Irish marketplace, chose to avail of the, in our view, bizarre opportunity offered to them by the Irish government to ignore the underlying principles contained within the announcement of a €0.50c (including VAT) increase in the retail pack of 20 cigarettes and inserted pricing that best suited their strategic needs. CSNA members now can now avail of the updated cigarette and tobacco pricelist on the CSNA website. This is not the first time that this has happened; in fact, it has happened, and will continue to happen, on each occasion that tobacco companies are granted the sole right to determine the retail price of tobacco products. The CSNA believes that retailers, not tobacco
companies, should be the only grouping that determines the retail price of cigarettes in their stores. This is the case for each and every other FMCG in our shops. We are prevented by law from selling at a price higher than the one chosen by a tobacco company, regardless of whether we purchase from them, from a vendor, a cash-and-carry or a specialist wholesaler. Tobacco companies use all manners and means to minimize the effect of Budget increases. They reduce quantities, limit the pro-rata increase on ‘big boxes’ which makes them more attractive economically to a consumer and generally apply disruptive tactics. We believe it is truly extraordinary that these known advantages are permitted to continue.
Keep updated on the Covid-19 situation on the CSNA website: www.csna.ie ShelfLife November 2021 | www.shelflife.ie
