Prohibition of free distributions
9
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.