Belgium has banned the public display of tobacco and vaping products at all retail points of sale starting April 1, 2025. This measure, enacted under an amendment to the consumer health protection law, forces supermarkets, newsagents, and gas stations to conceal smoking products from customer view.
Retailers Face Strict Storage Rules and Heavy Fines
Under the regulations, shopkeepers must store tobacco and e-cigarettes in drawers, closed cabinets, or behind opaque barriers. Storage areas must remain neutral, without brand names, logos, or special lighting. Customers wishing to purchase these products must request them using a plain paper or digital price list.
To ease the transition, the government has established a one-year implementation period, requiring full compliance by spring 2026. Non-compliant retailers risk prison sentences of one to twelve months and fines ranging from €2,000 to €800,000. Additionally, food stores larger than 400 square meters are banned from selling tobacco entirely.
Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke explained the policy’s intent: “Our ambition is to have a smoke-free generation by 2040. From now on, it is illegal to have cigarettes or vapes on display, that is visible, in a store. It is not a prohibition on buying this stuff. You can buy it, but you have to ask the vendor.”
Industry Warns of Illicit Trade and Retail Costs
While health advocates support the ban, the tobacco industry warns of unintended economic consequences. Cimabel, the federation of Belgian-Luxembourg cigarette manufacturers, claims the display ban will increase operational costs for retailers and accelerate the black market.
Cimabel reports that over one-third of cigarettes consumed in Belgium are already sourced illegally, resulting in an annual tax revenue loss of €2.2 billion. “It is surprising that a government seeking additional revenue would act in such a counterproductive manner,” the federation stated.
Shop owners also expressed frustration over the lack of government support. Retailer Jenny Van Vaerenbergh noted, “It is annoying because the government hasn’t given us any supply. They should have provided the necessary equipment.”
Currently, 24% of Belgians smoke, with 19% smoking daily. The display ban follows a €2 tax increase on cigarettes in 2024, as the country seeks to reduce the 14,000 annual deaths attributed to smoking.
