Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002
Offences relating to sale by retail of tobacco products.
F61[43.—(1) F62[It shall] be an offence for a person to sell a tobacco product by retail, or cause a tobacco product to be sold by retail, by means of self service.
(2) F63[…]
F64[(3) A licensee shall ensure that tobacco products sold by him or her are kept in a closed container or dispenser that is not visible or accessible to any person other than the licensee, or a person employed by him or her in connection with the business of selling goods by retail while so employed.]
(4) A person registered under section 37 shall ensure that—
(a) the registration number in respect of him or her is affixed to the container, dispenser or vending machine, as the case may be,
(b) subject to paragraph (c) and the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002 (S.I. No. 639 of 2002)—
(i) no notice, sign or display shall be displayed, and
(ii) no leaflet, circular, pamphlet or brochure shall be issued to the public or given to a purchaser of a product,
at any place, indicating that tobacco products may be purchased at the premises concerned,
(c) a sign is displayed at the premises concerned—
(i) in such a manner and form as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister,
(ii) informing the public that tobacco products may be sold at those premises to persons who have attained the age of 18 years, and
(iii) providing such other information as may be so prescribed.
(5) (a) F64[A licensee] may provide such information relating to a tobacco product sold by him or her to a member of the public intending to purchase a tobacco product as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister.
(b) Regulations under paragraph (a) may provide that F64[the licensee] may—
(i) notwithstanding subsection (3), show the member of the public concerned one packet only of each tobacco product sold by him or her, or a reproduction thereof, or
(ii) show the member of the public concerned a pictorial list consisting of visual images of packets of the tobacco products sold by him or her, provided that—
(I) each such image is not greater in size than the size of the packet concerned,
(II) the list does not contain more than one image of the same product, and
(III) the list or each such image contains a warning in such form and of such a type as may be prescribed by those regulations.
(6) A person who contravenes subsection (3) or (4), or regulations under subsection (5), shall be guilty of an offence.
(7) For the purposes of subsection (1), a tobacco product shall be deemed to have been sold by means of self service where the purchaser was permitted to supply himself or herself, either upon or before payment, with the tobacco product concerned whether by means of the depositing of money or a token (intended to be used as a substitute for money) in a machine containing the tobacco product or otherwise.]
Annotations
Amendments:
F61
Substituted (1.07.2009) by Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004 (6/2004), s. 14, S.I. No. 405 of 2008.
F62
Substituted (29.09.2025) by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 45(a), S.I. No. 269 of 2004.
F63
Deleted (29.09.2025) by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 45(b), S.I. No. 269 of 2004.
F64
Substituted (2.02.2026) by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 45(c), (e)(i), (ii), S.I. No. 737 of 2024.
F65
Substituted by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 45(d), not commenced as of date of revision.
F66
Inserted by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 45(d), not commenced as of date of revision.
Modifications (not altering text):
C8
Prospective affecting provision: subs. (4) substituted, subs. (4A) inserted by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 45(d), not commenced as of date of revision.
F61[43.— …
F65[(4) Subject to subsection (4A) and the European Communities (Requirements To Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002 (S.I. No. 639 of 2002), a licensee shall ensure that—
(a) no notice, sign or display shall be displayed, and
(b) no leaflet, circular, pamphlet or brochure shall be issued to the public or given to a purchaser of a product,
at any place, indicating that tobacco products may be purchased at the premises concerned.]
F66[(4A) Notwithstanding subsection (4), a sign may be displayed indicating that tobacco products may be purchased at the premises—
(a) in such a manner and form as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister,
(b) informing the public that tobacco products may be sold at those premises to persons who have attained the age of 18 years, and
(c) providing such other information as may be so prescribed.]
...]
Editorial Notes:
E29
Power pursuant to subs. (4A) exercised (2.02.2026) by Public Health (Tobacco) (Retail Sign) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 29 of 2026), in operation as per reg. 1(2).
E30
Power pursuant to subs. (5) exercised (1.07.2009) by Public Health (Tobacco) (Product Information) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 123 of 2009), in operation as per reg. 2.
E31
Power pursuant to subs. (4)(c) exercised (1.07.2009) by Public Health (Tobacco) (Retail Sign) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 57 of 2009), in operation as per art. 2; revoked (2.02.2026) by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 9(2)(c), S.I. No. 737 of 2024.
E32
Power pursuant to subs. (2) exercised (1.07.2009) by Public Health (Tobacco) (Self Service Vending Machines) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 42 of 2009), in operaton as per reg. 2; revoked (2.02.2026) by Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 (35/2023), s. 9(2)(b), S.I. No. 737 of 2024.
