Display ban of products that are subject to the Tobacco Act

Tobacco products, tobacco substitutes, electronic cigarettes, nicotine-containing liquids, or smoking accessories intended for the use of a heated tobacco product, or trademarks of such products, must not be displayed in retail. In practice, “display” means the intentional display of the packets of the aforementioned products or their trademarks and product names to customers.

However, the display ban does not apply to sales outlets which have a separate entrance, and which sell almost exclusively the products referred to in the Act, provided that the products and their trademarks are not visible from outside the sales outlet. Such sales outlets include tobacco shops or shops specialising in electronic cigarettes. However, a display in such a specialised shop must not be done in a promotional manner. In addition, the display ban does not apply to the sale of products subject to the Tobacco Act on board a vessel used in international maritime transport.

Notwithstanding the display ban, the retailer may present to the purchaser at their request a printed catalogue of the products on sale at the sales outlet or of their unit packets. At the purchaser’s request, a retailer may also give to a purchaser a printed list of said products and their prices. Like the catalogue, the list may not be handed over for the customer to take with them, even on request. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has issued a decree on the sale of tobacco and related products, which provides more detailed provisions on the format, content and layout of the catalogue and list.