Anger of tobacconists in Gard: “We want the closure of grocery stores that sell counterfeit tobacco and tobacco from other countries”

Tobacconists want to maintain a good footfall with the sale of tobacco. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Thursday February 15, at least 80 tobacconists from Gard will leave early in the morning from the Cora car park in Alès to reach Nîmes as part of a snail operation. In their sights: the increase in the price of tobacco and night grocery stores.

Thursday February 15, from the Cora parking lot in Alès, from 7:30 a.m., at the Gard prefecture in Nîmes, at least 80 tobacconists from Gard will participate in a snail operation to protest against the rise in prices and the sale, by grocery stores in night, counterfeit tobacco and foreign countries. Competition deemed unfair.

Ghislaine Mazoyer, president of the Chambre syndicale des tobacconists of Gard, does not hide her annoyance: "We must permanently close these night grocery stores who sell cigarettes that we don't know what's inside, from Spain and Eastern countries. In Nîmes, with the rise in the price of cigarettes, it has become the national sport to open these grocery stores. I recognize that there were still a lot of checks thanks to the prefect."

Price moratorium

During Thursday's snail operation, tobacconists decided to pass through the streets of Beaucaire, Vincent Faïta, to honk their horns in front of the criticized businesses. "There were closures of three, then six months. But we would like it to be permanent or for these businesses to close earlier in the day", adds Ghislaine Mazoyer. A request so far in vain. "We also ask the town hall of Nîmes to prevent the opening of these grocery stores at night but it&nbsp ;can't do it."

The tobacconists will meet the prefect of Gard on Thursday October 15, at the end of the morning, to request a moratorium on prices in order to put a pause on the increases. "Some products have increased by 1.50 €. Our prices for a packet of cigarettes are much higher than those in Spain. We want to maintain the footfall in our businesses with the sale of tobacco", specifies Ghislaine Mazoyer, more determined than ever.

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