Retailers oppose restrictions on ban sale of tobacco products with FMCG

Federation of Retailer Association of India today said the Union health ministry's advisory to ban sale of tobacco products in small shops selling everyday-use and FMCG products has severely affected lakhs of micro-retailers.

FRAI, which is an umbrella body of 40 retail associations, claimed that several shopkeepers in states such as Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh were "facing harassment" over selling of tobacco products along with daily household usage products such as bread, eggs, soft drinks and juices.

The association also also hit out at controls on in-shop advertising saying it will remove differentiation between retailers selling legal tobacco products and fly-by-night retailers selling smuggled tobacco products.

The health ministry had last year