Increase in Tobacco Shops Following Supermarket Ban in Nederland
Since July of last year, supermarkets have been prohibited from selling tobacco, leading to a significant increase in the number of tobacco shops. According to one of the new tobacco businesses, this increase is also due to the popularity of gambling, which some supermarkets have also stopped offering.
To discourage smoking, the government decided that supermarkets could no longer sell cigarettes from July 2024. A year earlier, a ban on the online sale of tobacco had already been implemented. According to reports, this has led to a substantial rise in the number of tobacco shops in the Netherlands, with a net increase of 177 new tobacco stores in a year.
A visit was made to the Amsterdamsestraatweg in Utrecht, where the number of tobacco shops doubled from three to six in the past year. One of the new tobacco shops is the Giftclub, which opened a branch on this Utrecht street. The company saw a gap in the market because the Albert Heijn stores at the beginning and end of the street stopped selling tobacco.
According to an employee of the Giftclub, the increase in the number of tobacco shops is also related to the popularity of gambling. The supermarket on the street has also stopped offering the opportunity to gamble with, for example, scratch cards and sports betting via TOTO Winkel.
“Gambling is popular in this neighborhood, and Albert Heijn no longer offers that either. The neighborhood is a melting pot of cultures, and gambling is part of some of them. Gambling and smoking often go together.”
Employee, Giftclub
An owner of another new store on the Amsterdamse Straatweg also stated that they have a shop that is not solely focused on tobacco, allowing them to offer a wide range of products.
The spokesperson for Alderman for Public Health, Eelco Eerenberg, told reporters that the ban on tobacco products in supermarkets has led to a shift, which should not be the intention.
“The Amsterdamsestraatweg is a shopping street with a lot of dynamism, which makes it attractive for new entrepreneurs to establish themselves there. The national ban on sales in supermarkets may unintentionally contribute to this shift. We are concerned about that.”
Spokesperson for Alderman for Public Health Eerenberg
Stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced online casino world – explore the latest updates and trends at listofallcasinos.com.
