TWO-THIRDS of shopkeepers believe a ban on cigarette displays could damage business, says a survey.
But health experts in Kirklees claim the move would help to stop children smoking.
The Tobacco Retailers Alliance, which represents 26,000 independent shopkeepers across the UK, wants the new Government to reconsider plans by the previous Government to force traders to take down displays.
In a poll, 66% of members said it would directly threaten their trade.
Inderpal Randhawa, who runs Linthwaite Mini Market on Manchester Road, said he would suffer.
He said: “People come into corner shops for newspapers and cigarettes. They go to supermarkets for everything else.
“We are already losing customers and business. This would make it worse.
“The best way to stop people smoking is to educate them.”
Tobacco Retailers Alliance spokesman John Abbott added: “It is nonsense to suggest that young people take up smoking because they see tobacco on display in shops.
“They take up smoking because they think it is cool, or because their mates encourage them to, or because they want to look older than they are.
“Corner shops are a focal point of local communities up and down the country. It’s vital that everything possible is done to ensure we are given all the support we need to continue to provide the valuable service we do. Otherwise, there is a real risk that it won’t be long before corner shops become a thing of the past.”
But NHS Kirklees said the ban would deter youngsters from picking up the habit.
A spokeswoman said: “Each year thousands of children and young people in the UK start smoking, with around two thirds starting before the age of 18.
“The younger a person starts smoking the greater the risk of getting lung cancer and other smoking related diseases.
“Because nicotine is so addictive, only around half of all smokers manage to stop smoking before they die.
“Research shows that point-of-sale displays have a direct impact on young people’s smoking.”
