Aberdeen shop "first in Scotland" to be hit with cigarette fine
An Aberdeen retailer has been fined for having packets of cigarettes on open display on shelves.
An Aberdeen retailer has been fined for having packets of cigarettes on open display on shelves in their shop in what is believed to be the first case in Scotland.
The £200 fixed penalty notice was issued when officers from Aberdeen City Council’s Trading Standards service visited the shop following the receipt of a complaint in April.
Despite having issued a previous warning, the officers discovered several shelves containing packets of cigarettes in full view of customers.
Aberdeen City Council Trading Standards manager Graeme Paton said: "The aim of covering tobacco displays is to protect children from the promotion of tobacco products - it’s one of many measures introduced to try and reduce the appeal of smoking to young people.
"While compliance with the new law has been very high in Aberdeen, there have only been a few instances where cigarettes have been on open view. Usually advice is all that is needed but sometimes we need to issue a fixed penalty notice."