Peers voted 204 to 110 in support of the ban on tobacco display in shops. The decision has provoked fury among small shopkeepers.
Earl Howe, for the Tory party, said that research from the government showing the ban would deter young people from taking up smoking was "shot through with weaknesses and leaps of logic". He added,  "There are about 50,000 corner shops in the UK. The organisations representing these corner shops have told me of their acute worry that a point-of-sale ban on the display of tobacco will do serious harm to their trade." Howe said selling cigarettes was crucial to create "footfall" in corner shops. "People who come in to buy cigarettes typically buy other things as well with a higher profit margin," he said.
On Sunday, The Observer reported that amendments to the ban had cross-party support and were likely to be approved. An amendment put down by Lord Borrie, a former director-general of the Office of Fair Trading, would have allowed retailers to display sample packs of each brand above the counter. (pi)