Lucy Holdstock presents the Department of Health findings on tobacco displays. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0807053)

JUST one retailer attended a meeting aimed at discussing the planned changes to the law on tobacco displays.

Health promotion officer Gerry Le Roy said she was disappointed with the turnout after small retailers had voiced strong opposition to the proposed ban.

But she said it had not been a waste of time.

Tobacco policy manager from the UK Department of Health Lucy Holdstock laid out the issues Britain has faced with bringing in a ban on tobacco displays at the meeting.

Mrs Le Roy said the evening had been helpful.

‘It was interesting to get the views from the retailer,’ she said.  ‘We want everyone to feel they have been consulted and given access to the information about the ban. We want this to be made a positive experience, not a negative one.’

The presentation will be uploaded to the States website in the future, so retailers will be able to see the issues raised.

Miss Holdstock has been talking to deputies and health professionals about how the UK has been looking into banning tobacco displays.

She said the Government had left tobacco displays as a loophole in laws against smoking advertising.