With the announced entry into force of the Smoking Protection Law, small retailers are faced with the obligation to urgently rearrange their facilities. The new rules require the purchase of special display cases and cabinets, and failure to comply with the provisions carries the risk of high fines.
For owners of kiosks, markets and small shops, this means an additional financial burden that was not foreseen in their business plans. Some retailers warn that such costs will force them to reduce investments, and in some cases, the number of employees. Small, family businesses are particularly affected, which fear that they will not be able to easily adapt to the new requirements.
The new law provides for a ban on displaying tobacco, i.e. cigarettes and other products in retail establishments.
Many shopkeepers complain that they have contracts with suppliers that have not yet expired. Some of them say they will suffer huge losses, because they have recently renovated and installed the necessary equipment, display cases and security systems, adapted for the sale of tobacco products from which they earn most of their income.
“With the new legal restrictions, these investments are practically useless, and the losses for us will be huge. The investments were made with loans and large debts, so this sudden change is causing us serious financial problems, and for many of us it means the complete closure of the business from which many families feed,” retailers recently stated.
What is even more worrying is the amount of fines, if the cupboard in the market does not comply with the law of the Ministry of Health. Responsible persons in the markets will be fined from EUR 1,500 to EUR 2,000, and companies depending on their size.
