Belgium: Tobacco and vaping products can no longer be displayed in stores

From 1 April 2025, tobacco and vaping products will no longer be able to be displayed at points of sale in Belgium, in accordance with an amendment to the Consumer Health Protection Act of 24 January 1977. This ban concerns cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, rolling papers, filters, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and electronic cigarettes and their e-liquids.. In addition, the sale of these products will be prohibited in food stores larger than 400 square meters.[1]. Only B2B companies, whose goods are inaccessible directly to consumers, will be an exception.

New regulations on the sale of tobacco and vaping products

All tobacco-related products, smoking materials, or e-cigarettes and their refills must be concealed, both inside and outside points of sale, in bookstores, supermarkets, gas stations, night shops, and airport duty-free shops. Retailers must remove displays of these products and store them in drawers, closed containers such as cabinets, or behind curtains, sliding doors, or opaque glass.

Storage areas must remain neutral, without lighting, images or visible brands, and must be accessible only to store staff, who must close them immediately after use.

Sale and access to tobacco and vaping products

Adult customers will be able to inquire about and purchase tobacco and vaping products via a simple list, including brand names, product types, package quantities, and prices. This list may be available in paper or digital format.

Traders who fail to comply with these new regulations risk prison sentences ranging from one to twelve months, as well as fines ranging from €2,000 to €800,000. The government has set a one-year implementation deadline.[2]But by spring 2026, the displays will have to be gone.

A large campaign to protect the health of Belgians

The Cancer Foundation reports that 24% of Belgians smoke, 19% of whom smoke daily, despite the health risks. In Belgium, 14,000 premature deaths are attributed to smoking each year, and approximately 300,000 people suffer from tobacco-related illnesses.

This measure to make tobacco and vaping products invisible is therefore part of a much broader anti-tobacco strategy to protect the health of Belgians. Drawing on the lessons learned from scientific literature and the proven experience of other countries in this area, the Belgian government is seeking through this measure to reduce impulse purchases, decrease the number of new smokers and help current smokers to quit, particularly young people, who are increasingly attracted to vaping and particularly vulnerable to nicotine.[3]In addition to this measure, a strong tax policy has been adopted with a 2 euro increase for cigarettes at the beginning of 2024. The expansion of smoke-free places is also part of the strategy implemented and their number should increase in 2025.

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[1]The Brussels Times with Belga, Tobacco products can no longer be displayed in shops, The Brussels Times, published on March 27, 2025, accessed on March 28, 2025

[2]Mokrani, Farah, Tobacco products to disappear from shop shelves from April, EuroWeekly News, published March 28, 2025, accessed March 28, 2025

[3]FPS Public Health, Stricter rules for tobacco sales, published March 27, 2025, accessed March 28, 2025

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