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The United Kingdom has taken another step towards banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009, just months after New Zealand abandoned a similar policy. Overnight, the UK House of Commons passed a bill containing the proposed ban 383 votes to 67. The debate centred on the cost of smoking to the public health system, principles of freedom of choice and whether addiction hampered freedom of choice. The bill still needs to go through several more votes and pass the House of Lords, but this can be assured in the second half of the year given the Labour Party’s support. It would be the first national-based laws of its type to be implemented. It would not ban vaping but would introduce greater restrictions, including on marketing towards young people. But is there an appetite for similar reform in Australia – a country that has, in…

Almost 500,000 vapes were seized by police during a search of a Lennon St warehouse in West Melbourne on April 17. Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said the illicit tobacco market had become a “significant driver” for organised criminal activity over the last 12 months. It has led to more than 100 arrests and large-scale seizures of illegally imported product.  Taskforce Lunar was established back in October to target these crime groups, working closely with a range of specialist units including the VIPER Taskforce. Police investigated whether the warehouse was being used by an organised crime syndicate for the trafficking of illicit tobacco products.  Six men were arrested, including two 20-year-old Melbourne men, a 37-year-old Point Cook man, a 31-year-old Southbank man, a 33-year-old Adelaide man and a 24-year-old man of no fixed place of address. All six were interviewed and released pending further inquiries. Victoria Police has been…

BP Australia has announced that Lucy Nation has been appointed as Country President for Australia, effective 1 July 2024. Paul Augé has been named Senior Vice President, Mobility, Convenience and Midstream for Australia and New Zealand. The appointments come as Frédéric Baudry, bp’s current Head of Country for Australia and Senior Vice President for bp’s low carbon businesses, mobility and convenience in the Asia Pacific has decided to leave the role. Nation, who is an engineer by trade and has worked for bp since 1998 across Australia, the US, UK, Europe, and Singapore, will also maintain her current role as Vice President, Hydrogen, Australia and Asia Pacific. Since 1998, Nation has worked across a wide range of refining, manufacturing, and trading roles. In 2018 she returned to Australia as Vice President of Midstream, Asia Pacific covering supply, wholesale marketing and terminals for downstream businesses in the region. Nation was also…

Property landlord Stockland has joined forces with fuel supplier Ampol to roll out AmpCharge fast and ultra-fast electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The two ASX-listed companies will offer more 100 AmpCharge charging bays in 16 retail town centres. The bays will allow swift charging for EVs in about 60 minutes or less. The fast-charging centres will be located in country NSW, Victoria and Queensland. The network will also include the Piccadilly centre, in Sydney city. Stockland has charging facilities after it struck a deal in 2017 with EV manufacturer Tesla, where it invested $200,000 in a national roll-out of Tesla destination chargers in 31 shopping centres stretching from Cairns to Melbourne. Stockland, which is a diversified property developer and owner, said there was also an option in the future to extend the agreement across its portfolio of residential and logistics assets. The EV charging infrastructure will be rolled out in Stockland’s…

BP stores around the world are expanding the range of food and drinks available to customers—from customizable sandwiches to new, private-brand snacks, the company said in a post on its website. “Customers tell us they want tasty and freshly prepared food options on the go,” said Tracey Clements, SVP of mobility and convenience, Europe. “We are constantly listening to give them what they want, when and where they want it, as we develop exciting, new menu options at our stores.” According to the post, menus at BP stores are developed with local tastes in mind. In the U.K., that means made-to-order hot sandwiches and toasties, like the big breakfast bap (bread roll) with sausage, bacon, egg and Gouda cheese, and the avocado, halloumi and egg bap with gochujang-style ketchup. Meanwhile, at BP stores in the United States—which include ampm, Thorntons and TravelCenters of America—customers have been able to pick up drinks like…

The United Arab Emirates’ state-owned oil company recently considered buying Britain’s BP (BP.L), opens new tab but the deliberations did not progress beyond preliminary discussions, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) ultimately decided BP would not be the right fit for its strategy, three people said. Political considerations also weighed on the potential move, one of the people said. The 88 billion-pound ($110.3 billion) company has underperformed its competitors for years, which investors and analysts say has made the British firm a potential takeover target. U.S. oil giants are in the midst of the industry’s biggest consolidation for decades, but European oil majors have to date not been involved. Investors have penalized BP’s plan to reduce fossil fuel production and its faster shift toward renewables than rivals such as Shell, Exxon and Chevron. In February 2023, BP rowed back on its more aggressive energy transition…