The legislative amendments provide that stores will present a price list of tobacco products at customer’s request with the name of the product, its price and number of items in the packaging.
The ban to place tobacco products in visible locations would not refer to tax-free shops, ships running on international routes and retail places selling only tobacco products and electronic smoking devices.
The ban is still to be passed in the third and final reading and promulgated by the president.
As reported, representatives of the Latvian Association of Merchants said earlier that hiding of cigarettes will not improve the situation, but will increase costs and might promote a price hike of other goods.
The Finance Ministry believes that the present restrictions are already sufficient, but the new amendments will leave a negative impact on merchants and the state budget and will promote circulation of illegal cigarettes.