Pilot automated machine does not promote tobacco

We thank Mr Yum Shoen Liang and Mr Lim Teck Koon for their respective comments in “Barking up the wrong tree with cigarette vending machine” (March 21, online) and “Cigarette vending machine contradicts FairPrice philosophy” (March 22).

The purpose of the tobacco storage and retrieval machine, piloted last week at a FairPrice Xpress store, is primarily to support the amended Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act.

The machine does not display or promote any tobacco products or labels, in alignment with the new legislation to keep them out of customers’ lines of sight.

Customers are unable to buy or retrieve products directly from the machine; our cashiers continue to serve as the point of contact for sales of tobacco products and for age verification.

Beyond ensuring compliance, this pilot system allows us to store and track inventory securely, which boosts productivity by eliminating the need for laborious manual stocktaking daily.

We are piloting this system ahead of the new rules so that there is time to refine the process and work with the authorities to ensure smooth enforcement of this legislation by next year.

FairPrice is supportive of the Government’s efforts to reduce tobacco use and exposure to non-smokers; this system does not facilitate promotion of tobacco products and does not serve to encourage customers to buy cigarettes.

With this new system, we have in fact seen a reduction in tobacco sales as we had anticipated. Nevertheless, we wanted to implement the system ahead of the deadline next March.