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The New Zealand Government has committed itself to the goal of making New Zealand smokefree by 2025.1 To achieve this outcome, a range of tobacco control measures has been suggested.2
The Smoke-free Environments (Controls and Enforcement) Amendment Act 2011 (SFEA Act) was developed as a step towards this goal and included provisions that addressed the retail environment, including the requirement to remove point-of-sale (PoS) tobacco displays by July 2012.
This policy reduces a tobacco marketing activity by removing the colourful reminder of tobacco availability, which can be a cue for purchases, and may promote smoking uptake among children.3-6 Removing displays may reduce tobacco purchases by youths.7, 8 Surveys across countries with and without display bans have found that where there were bans smokers reported reduced exposure to tobacco marketing, and lower impulse purchasing.9
During the development of these laws the tobacco industry and some retailer groups campaigned against the changes. Arguments presented in opposition to the removal of PoS displays included that there was a lack of evidence that removing them would be effective. There were predictions that retailers would experience financial losses (including reduced sales and the cost of removing and replacing store furniture) and increased thefts and safety risks.10,11 The 'Association of Community Retailers' claimed that there was 'huge opposition' amongst retailers to the changes.12
The law change provided a good opportunity to examine New Zealand tobacco retailers' attitudes to tobacco and tobacco control measures in the retail setting. New Zealand-specific research on retailers' attitudes to tobacco is limited, with only a few published articles in this area.13-18 One exploratory qualitative study assessed retailers' views on the tobacco industry and explored possible tobacco control interventions in the retail environment, particularly removal of PoS displays.17 The study, conducted before there had been any significant public debate about the issue, found mixed views about removing PoS displays, with many of the retailers unconcerned about or even in favour of removing them. Another qualitative study investigated the views and experiences of retailers who had voluntarily removed PoS displays.18 This study found that their experience was overwhelmingly positive, and at odds with the predictions of the tobacco industry and retailer groups campaigning against the removal of PoS displays.
International evidence specific to retailers' attitudes to tobacco is...