Switzerland: “Test purchases” to monitor the effectiveness of the ban on tobacco sales to minors

"Test purchases", equivalent to mystery shopping visits, conducted in the canton of Valais in Switzerland have shown that, despite warning signs about the ban on sales to minors, one in seven sellers agrees to sell tobacco or alcohol products to minors. Identity checks are carried out in only two out of three cases for the sale of tobacco products, and in just over half of cases for the sale of alcohol.

After a similar operation in the canton of Vaud, the canton of Valais is now rolling out a policy of "test purchases". Designed on the principle of mystery shoppers, these test purchases involve minors to test whether sellers of tobacco or alcohol products are complying with the legislation prohibiting the sale of these products to minors.

One in seven businesses sells tobacco or alcohol to minors

In the canton of Valais, stores selling these products had first received a letter reminding them of the terms of the law and informing them of the period of possible checks.[1]. The municipal police officers also visited these stores to remind people of the regulations and give them a card reminding them of the legal age of sale for tobacco and alcohol. The aim was therefore not to trap the sellers but to inform them in advance of the issues surrounding the sales ban and the terms of its application.

96 test purchases of this type were conducted in four valleys of this canton in 2023 by the Promotion santé Valais (PSV) association.[2]. 57 checks were carried out for tobacco and vaping products and 39 for distilled beverages, which are prohibited for sale to under-18s. Four other valleys should be subject to such checks in 2024, with the entire canton to be covered by the end of 2025.

The results of the test purchases conducted in 2023 show that 84,% of the stores had complied with the ban on selling tobacco and vaping products to minors, and 85,% with the ban on selling alcohol. One in seven sellers was in violation during these checks, the existence of which had been the subject of prior information. This figure is therefore probably an underestimate.

The check of an identity document is carried out less often, even when the sale is refused. 68 % of sellers had in fact requested an identity document for the purchase of tobacco and vaping products, this rate falling to 56 % for distilled alcohols.

Controls not followed by sanctions

According to Sébastien Blanchard, project manager at PSV, the number of sales to minors observed is mainly due to the lack of request for identification from young people. He would like to see "more systematic checks to protect young people"[3].

No sanctions were taken against the vendors caught in violation; they were simply reported to their local municipality and the local police, who should then remind them of good practices regarding sales to minors. However, the lessons of international literature in the field condition the effectiveness and efficiency of the measure on the implementation not only of checks, but also of dissuasive sanctions accompanied by[4].

Keywords: Switzerland, Health Promotion Valais, test purchases, sales to minors

©Generation Without Tobacco

MF

[1] Gabbud JY, Valais: 1 in 7 businesses sells alcohol and tobacco to minors, Le Nouvelliste, published on February 22, 2024, consulted on February 23, 2024.

[2] Test purchases of alcohol and nicotine products, Promotion santé Valais, published on February 22, 2024, consulted on February 23, 2024.

[3] Terrettaz N, Sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors: age control remains insufficient, Rhône FM, updated February 23, 2024, consulted the same day.

[4] Elharrar X, Béguinot E, Gallopel-Morvan K, Ben Lakhdar C, Martinet Y, So that buying tobacco is no longer child's play!, The Practitioner’s Review, Vol. 70, February 2020.