Cigarettes now tucked out of sight

June 02, 2008

Sarah Barmak

Staff Reporter

At Queen Street West's popular Super Queen's Market variety store, the colourful cigarette display that used to sit behind the counter has disappeared. In its place are rows of plain grey flaps, some with tiny labels identifying the cigarette brands hidden behind them.

A province-wide ban on the displays, known as Power Walls, came into force on the weekend, and at stores along the Queen West strip the new ban was getting an icy reception.

"One thing is for sure, this is not going to stop people from smoking," said Jimmy Shim, who worked for the first time yesterday in front of the nondescript grey wall. He said sales of smokes were slow, but that, he added, was typical for a Sunday.

"I just don't think (lawmakers) care about smaller retailers," added a co-worker, who gave his name as Ryan. If the government really cared about stopping smoking, there are better strategies out there, he said. "The bottom line is they still want to collect tax dollars."

Ontario legislation now bans displays of tobacco products visible to customers.

The act notably targeted so-called Power Walls, the big colourful cigarette displays behind checkout counters that opponents say encourage impulse buys, especially among young people.

For many vendors, the new requirement to hide smokes behind doors or under counters means it is taking longer to serve customers.

"It's just a hassle, especially on a Friday or Saturday night when you get busy," Ryan said.

"You spend a lot of time looking for stuff. I'll take five minutes to look for cigarettes and a line will build up, people will start stealing."

Annie Cao, who works at the Queen Fruit Market at Queen W. and Bathurst St., has a similar complaint.

"I have to remember which cigars I have," says Cao, whose parents own the store. "Just like a waitress, I have to know the menu."

Retailers are permitted to display up to three black-and-white signs that inform customers that tobacco is sold in the store.

That's a sharp change from days when cigarette companies would buy colourful display boxes for their brands to go behind shops' counters.