Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002

2002 CHAPTER 36

An Act to control the advertising and promotion of tobacco products; and for connected purposes.

[7th November 2002]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Valid from 20/11/2002

4 Advertising: exclusionsU.K.

(1)No offence is committed under section 2 or 3 in relation to a tobacco advertisement—

(a)if it is, or is contained in, a communication made in the course of a business which is part of the tobacco trade, and for the purposes of that trade, and directed solely at persons who—

(i)are engaged in, or employed by, a business which is also part of that trade, and

(ii)fall within subsection (2),

in their capacity as such persons,

(b)if it is, or is contained in, the communication made in reply to a particular request by an individual for information about a tobacco product, or

(c)if it is contained in a publication (other than an in-flight magazine) whose principal market is not the United Kingdom (or any part of it), or if it is contained in any internet version of such a publication.

(2)A person falls within this subsection if—

(a)he is responsible for making decisions on behalf of the business referred to in subsection (1)(a)(i) about the purchase of tobacco products which are to be sold in the course of that business,

(b)he occupies a position in the management structure of the business in question which is equivalent in seniority to, or of greater seniority than, that of any such person, or

(c)he is the person who, or is a member of the board of directors or other body of persons (however described) which, is responsible for the conduct of the business in question.

(3)The appropriate Minister may provide in regulations that no offence is committed under section 2 in relation to a tobacco advertisement which—

(a)is in a place or on a website where tobacco products are offered for sale, and

(b)complies with requirements specified in the regulations.

(4)The regulations may, in particular, provide for the meaning of “place” in subsection (3)(a).

Valid from 14/02/2003

5 Advertising: defencesU.K.

(1)A person does not commit an offence under section 2 or section 3(a) or (b), in connection with an advertisement whose purpose is to promote a tobacco product, if he did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that the purpose of the advertisement was to promote a tobacco product.

(2)A person does not commit such an offence in connection with an advertisement whose effect is to promote a tobacco product if he could not reasonably have foreseen that that would be the effect of the advertisement.

(3)A person does not commit an offence under section 2(2) or 3(a) or (b) if he did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that the tobacco advertisement would be published in the United Kingdom.

(4)A person does not commit an offence under section 2(2) of distributing or causing the distribution of a tobacco advertisement, otherwise than as mentioned in section 2(3), if he did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that what he distributed or caused to be distributed was, or contained, a tobacco advertisement.

(5)In relation to a tobacco advertisement which is distributed as mentioned in section 2(3), a person does not commit an offence under section 2(2) of distributing it or causing its distribution if—

(a)he was unaware that what he distributed or caused to be distributed was, or contained, a tobacco advertisement,

(b)having become aware of it, it was not reasonably practicable for him to prevent its further distribution, or

(c)he did not carry on business in the United Kingdom at the relevant time.

(6)A person does not commit an offence under section 3(c) if he did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that the publication contained a tobacco advertisement.

Valid from 14/02/2003

9 Prohibition of free distributionsU.K.

(1)A person is guilty of an offence if in the course of a business he—

(a)gives any product or coupon away to the public in the United Kingdom, or

(b)causes or permits that to happen,

and the purpose or effect of giving the product or coupon away is to promote a tobacco product.

(2)It does not matter whether the product or coupon accompanies something else, or is given away separately.

(3)No offence is committed under subsection (1) if—

(a)the business referred to in subsection (1) is part of the tobacco trade,

(b)the product or coupon is given away for the purposes of that trade,

(c)each person to whom it is given—

(i)is engaged in, or employed by, a business which is also part of the tobacco trade, and

(ii)falls within subsection (4), and

(d)the product or coupon is given to each such person in his capacity as such a person.

(4)A person falls within this subsection if—

(a)he is responsible for making decisions on behalf of the business referred to in subsection (3)(c)(i) about the purchase of tobacco products which are to be sold in the course of that business,

(b)he occupies a position in the management structure of the business in question which is equivalent in seniority to, or of greater seniority than, that of any such person, or

(c)he is the person who, or is a member of the board of directors or other body of persons (however described) which, is responsible for the conduct of the business in question.

(5)A person does not commit an offence under this section—

(a)where it is alleged that the purpose of giving the product or coupon away was to promote a tobacco product, if he did not know and had no reason to suspect that that was its purpose, or

(b)where it is alleged that the effect of giving the product or coupon away was to promote a tobacco product, if he could not reasonably have foreseen that that would be its effect.

(6)Coupon” means a document or other thing which (whether by itself or not) can be redeemed for a product or service or for cash or any other benefit.

(7)The Secretary of State may make regulations providing for this section to apply to making products or coupons available for a nominal sum or at a substantial discount as it applies to giving them away.

(8)If regulations under subsection (7) provide for this section to apply to making products or coupons available at a substantial discount, the regulations must provide for the meaning of “substantial discount”.

(9)The regulations may provide that this section is to apply in that case with such modifications (if any) specified in the regulations as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

Valid from 14/02/2003

10 Prohibition of sponsorshipU.K.

(1)A person who is party to a sponsorship agreement is guilty of an offence if the purpose or effect of anything done as a result of the agreement is to promote a tobacco product in the United Kingdom.

(2)A sponsorship agreement is an agreement under which, in the course of a business, a party to it makes a contribution towards something, whether the contribution is in money or takes any other form (for example, the provision of services or of contributions in kind).

(3)A person does not commit an offence under this section—

(a)where it is alleged that the purpose of what was done as a result of the agreement was to promote a tobacco product in the United Kingdom, if he did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that that was its purpose, or

(b)where it is alleged that the effect of what was done as a result of the agreement was to promote a tobacco product in the United Kingdom, if he could not reasonably have foreseen that that would be its effect.

(4)A person does not commit an offence under this section if he did not know and had no reason to suspect that the contribution referred to in subsection (2) was made in the course of a business.

Valid from 20/11/2002

11 BrandsharingU.K.

(1)The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision prohibiting or restricting, in such circumstances and subject to such exceptions as may be specified in the regulations, the use—

(a)in connection with any service or product (other than a tobacco product), of any name, emblem or other feature of a description specified in the regulations which is the same as, or similar to, a name, emblem or other feature so specified which is connected with a tobacco product, or

(b)in connection with any tobacco product, of any name, emblem or other feature of a description specified in the regulations which is the same as, or similar to, a name, emblem or other feature so specified which is connected with any service or product other than a tobacco product.

(2)Provision made by virtue of subsection (1) may prohibit or restrict only that use whose purpose is to promote a tobacco product, or whose effect is to do so.

(3)If regulations under this section provide for a prohibition or restriction to be subject to an exception, the regulations may also make such provision as the Secretary of State considers appropriate for a corresponding exception to have effect for the purposes of offences under section 2, 3, 8, 9 or 10.

(4)A person who contravenes a prohibition or restriction contained in regulations made under this section is guilty of an offence.

Valid from 14/02/2003

13 EnforcementU.K.

(1)For the purposes of this Act “enforcement authority” means—

(a)in England and Wales, a weights and measures authority,

(b)in Scotland, a local weights and measures authority, and

(c)in Northern Ireland, a district council.

(2)It is the duty of an enforcement authority to enforce within its area the provisions of this Act and regulations made under it.

(3)The appropriate Minister may direct, in relation to cases of a particular description or a particular case, that any duty imposed on an enforcement authority in England and Wales or Scotland by subsection (2) shall be discharged by the appropriate Minister and not by the enforcement authority.

(4)The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety may direct, in relation to cases of a particular description or a particular case, that any duty imposed on an enforcement authority in Northern Ireland by subsection (2) shall be discharged by the Department and not by the enforcement authority.

(5)The Secretary of State may take over the conduct of any proceedings instituted in England and Wales by another person under any provision of this Act or regulations made under it.

(6)The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety may take over the conduct of any proceedings instituted in Northern Ireland by another person under any provision of this Act or regulations made under it.

(7)For the purposes of the trying of offences under this Act or regulations made under it—

(a)any such offence committed in England or Wales may be treated as having been committed in any place in England or Wales, so that any magistrates’ court in England or Wales has jurisdiction to try the offence, and

(b)any such offence committed in Northern Ireland may be treated as having been committed in any place in Northern Ireland, so that any magistrates’ court in Northern Ireland has jurisdiction to hear and determine a complaint charging the offence.

Valid from 14/02/2003

14 Powers of entry, etcU.K.

(1)A duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority has the right, on producing, if so required, his written authority—

(a)at any reasonable hour to enter any premises, other than premises used only as a private dwelling house, which he considers it is necessary for him to enter for the purpose of the proper exercise of his functions under this Act,

(b)to carry out on those premises such inspections and examinations as he considers necessary for that purpose,

(c)where he considers it necessary for that purpose, to require the production of any book, document, data, record (in whatever form it is held) or product and inspect it, and take copies of or extracts from it,

(d)to take possession of any book, document, data, record (in whatever form it is held) or product which is on the premises and retain it for as long as he considers necessary for that purpose,

(e)to require any person to give him such information, or afford him such facilities and assistance, as he considers necessary for that purpose.

(2)A duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority may make such purchases and secure the provision of such services as he considers necessary for the purpose of the proper exercise of his functions under this Act.

(3)A person is not obliged by subsection (1) to answer any question or produce any document which he would be entitled to refuse to answer or to produce—

(a)in or for the purposes of proceedings in a court in England and Wales, where the question is asked or the document is required by a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority in England and Wales,

(b)in or for the purposes of proceedings in a court in Northern Ireland, where the question is asked or the document is required by a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority in Northern Ireland,

(c)in or for the purposes of proceedings in a court in Scotland, where the question is asked or the document is required by a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority in Scotland.

(4)If a justice of the peace is satisfied by any written information on oath that for the purpose of the proper exercise of the functions of an enforcement authority under this Act there are reasonable grounds for entry into any premises, other than premises used only as a private dwelling house, and—

(a)that admission to the premises has been or is likely to be refused and that notice of intention to apply for a warrant under this subsection has been given to the occupier, or

(b)that an application for admission, or the giving of such notice, would defeat the object of the entry or that the premises are unoccupied or that the occupier is temporarily absent and it might defeat the object of the entry to await his return,

the justice may by warrant signed by him, which shall continue in force until the end of the period of one month beginning with the date on which he signs it, authorise any duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority to enter the premises, if need be by force.

(5)A duly authorised officer entering any premises by virtue of subsection (1) or of a warrant under subsection (4) may take with him when he enters those premises such other persons and such equipment as he considers necessary.

(6)On leaving any premises which a duly authorised officer is authorised to enter by a warrant under subsection (4), that officer shall, if the premises are unoccupied or the occupier is temporarily absent, leave the premises as effectively secured against trespassers as he found them.

(7)Where by virtue of subsection (1)(d) a duly authorised officer takes possession of any item, he shall leave on the premises from which the item was removed a statement giving particulars of what he has taken and stating that he has taken possession of it.

(8)In the application of this section to Northern Ireland, the reference in subsection (4) to any information on oath shall be construed as a reference to any complaint on oath.

(9)In the application of this section to Scotland, the reference in subsection (4) to a justice of the peace shall be construed as a reference to a sheriff.

(10)Where a direction of the appropriate Minister has effect under section 13(3), this section and section 15 have effect, in relation to any case or case of a description specified in the direction, as if references to a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority were references to a person acting on behalf of the appropriate Minister.

(11)Where a direction of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has effect under section 13(4), this section and section 15 have effect, in relation to any case or case of a description specified in the direction, as if references to a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority were references to a person acting on behalf of the Department.

(12)Where—

(a)the Secretary of State takes over any proceedings by virtue of section 13(5), or

(b)the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety takes over the conduct of any proceedings by virtue of section 13(6),

this section and section 15 have effect, in relation to any case which is the subject of such proceedings, as if references to a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority were references to a person acting on behalf of the Secretary of State or (as the case may be) the Department.

Valid from 14/02/2003

18 Offences by bodies corporate and Scottish partnershipsU.K.

(1)If an offence under any provision of this Act committed by a body corporate is proved—

(a)to have been committed with the consent or connivance of an officer, or

(b)to be attributable to any neglect on his part,

the officer as well as the body corporate is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(2)In subsection (1) “officer”, in relation to a body corporate, means a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity.

(3)If the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (1) applies in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.

(4)If an offence under any provision of this Act committed by a partnership in Scotland is proved—

(a)to have been committed with the consent or connivance of a partner, or

(b)to be attributable to any neglect on his part,

the partner as well as the partnership is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(5)In subsection (4) “partner” includes a person purporting to act as a partner.

Valid from 20/11/2002

19 RegulationsU.K.

(1)Powers to make regulations and orders under this Act are exercisable by statutory instrument.

(2)Regulations, and orders under section 7, may make—

(a)different provision for different cases or circumstances, and

(b)any supplementary, consequential or transitional provision which the appropriate Minister (or the Secretary of State) considers necessary or desirable.

(3)No statutory instrument containing an order under section 7 or regulations under section 9 or 11 is to be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(4)No statutory instrument containing regulations under section 8 is to be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament, or laid before the Scottish Parliament and approved by a resolution of that Parliament.

(5)A statutory instrument containing regulations under any other provision of this Act shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament or of the Scottish Parliament.

22 Commencement, short title and extentU.K.

(1)Apart from this section, this Act comes into force on such day as the appropriate Minister may by order appoint.

(2)Different days may be appointed under subsection (1) for different provisions and for different purposes.

(3)Such an order may include such transitional provisions and savings as the appropriate Minister considers appropriate.

(4)This Act may be cited as the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002.

(5)This Act extends to Northern Ireland.

Subordinate Legislation Made

P1S. 22(1)-(3) power partly exercised: different dates appointed for specified provisions by S.S.I. 2002/512, art. 2

S. 22(1)-(3) power partly exercised: different dates appointed for specified provisions by S.I. 2002/2865, art. 2