Press Releases

Leading national retail groups representing thousands of small, independent and family-owned businesses across Queensland have applauded the State Government’s crack-down on the sale of illicit tobacco. The leaders of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), the Master Grocers Australia (MGA), and the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA) said the QLD Government had listened to industry concerns and taken strong action. Illicit tobacco now accounts for one in five tobacco products consumed in Australia, costing governments almost $4 billion a year in stolen taxes, and putting the health and welfare of all Australians at risk. “The beefed-up legislation is clear recognition of the damage that illicit tobacco is inflicting on law abiding businesses, communities, and the Queensland economy,” AACS CEO Theo Foukkare said. Mr Foukkare said the new legislation would overhaul Queensland’s tobacco laws and help to clamp down on the illicit vape black market behind the youth vaping…

Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland must explain why she has failed to block access to the online black market that is responsible for the nation’s youth vaping crisis. Australian Association for Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO Theo Foukkare said Minister Rowland had not used ministerial powers that allow her to order internet service providers (ISPs) to block illicit websites and issue “take down” notices to social media platforms where vapes are being sold. “We’re in the depths of a youth vaping crisis fuelled by illicit websites and predatory social media users that don’t care who they sell these things to,” Mr Foukkare said. “Our school yards are flooded with vapes that are either being bought online by kids themselves, or by renegade retailers who buy them in bulk and flog them to kids of all ages at their dodgy shops. “We’ve seen that unfold in Victoria, where a recent Herald Sun…

Australia’s GP crisis would worsen if the Federal Government continued to pursue its failed prescription-only model for access to nicotine vapes, data from a Roy Morgan study has revealed. The study found 1.2 million Australian adults use vapes. Under Australian law, nicotine vapes can only be purchased legally with a prescription from a General Practitioner (GP). However, the study found just 277 Australian GPs are signed up to prescribe the smoking cessation product. The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) commissioned the report. AACS CEO Theo Foukkare said the data proved the Federal Government’s prescription-only model would place even more pressure on the already crippled GP sector if it continued. “While the rest of the world recognises that nicotine vapes are a proven quit smoking aid, Australia’s overnment continues to make it almost impossible for quitting smokers to access them legally,” he said. “How on earth are just 277 GPs…

Australia’s booming nicotine vape black market will continue to grow at alarming rates if the Federal Government does not take urgent regulatory action now, the Australian Association of Convenience (AACS) Stores has warned in its submission to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), “The current policy of prohibition has turned everyday adults into common criminals as they turn to the black market to access nicotine vapes to try and give up smoking.” AACS CEO Theo Foukkare said. Australia is one of the only first-world countries to ban the sale of nicotine vapes, without a prescription. “We’ve heard time and time again from people who can’t find a prescribing GP – and even if they do, they’re mostly unable to get their prescription filled because hardly any chemists stock them for a proven adult smoking cessation tool. Our research shows that only 10% of adult consumers are using the TGA model as…

AACS CEO Theo Foukkare said governments at all levels had failed to invest in adequate EV charging stations. “Energy and environmentally conscious Aussies are expected to drive a significant increase in EV sales this year, but right now there are not enough recharge stations to service existing EV drivers,” he said. “Public infrastructure charging is being rolled out slowly by the federal and state and territory governments, however, most only include slow charging equipment. “That means they can only be used by two cars at once, potentially leaving other drivers waiting hours before they are even able to plug in,” Mr Foukkare said. Mr Foukkare said small business convenience stores want to install EV charging points to cater for increased demand, however the cost to upgrade their existing power grid and allow for fast charging made it financially unviable. “They want to be part of this significant, environmentally responsible change…

Illicit tobacco is the number 1 issue, and if it’s not properly addressed, the Government’s announcement will stall The Government must have a strategy regarding illicit tobacco & consider adopting the recommendations by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Law Enforcement (PJCLE) Inquiry into Illicit Tobacco We urge the Government to sit down and address this issue with law abiding retailers Today’s announcement from the Federal Government that it is exploring additional restrictions on legal, regulated, and taxed tobacco will only hurt Australian retailers further and is unlikely to decrease smoking rates, given the explosion in illicit tobacco in Australia over the last decade. In a joint statement, the leaders of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), the Master Grocers Australia (MGA) and the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA), said illicit tobacco now accounts for one in five tobacco products consumed in Australia, costing governments almost $4 billion a…