Singapore 14 December 2022

Sunil Tuli, President of APTRA comments: “The New Zealand parliament passed primary legislation on 13 December 2022 for its Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill and has not yet published the draft regulations or confirmed any detail regarding the sale of duty free tobacco.  This is not expected until a later date (as yet unspecified).

“During the open consultation period on the Bill, in August 2022 APTRA wrote to the New Zealand government to request that the Select Committee consider the unique nature of the duty-free channel, the rigorous retail conditions of operating in a very controlled environment, meaning that access to duty-free retailing is restricted to travellers with a valid travel document and, as such, youth access to tobacco products duty-free can be restricted.  Once the draft regulations are published APTRA will follow up with the Government as appropriate.”

ENDS