New ban on sale by vending machine
It is now unlawful to sell cigarettes or any other tobacco product by means of a vending machine.
A grace period gave the industry until 1 February 2025 to comply with this requirement and remove any existing machines.
Definition
A vending machine is defined in the Act as a ‘device from which a product can be obtained by the use of a payment card or the insertion of a coin, banknote or token’.
Penalties
The maximum penalty for contravening this law is a fine of $250,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a business. An expiation fee of $2,500 can be issued - or $10,000 in the case of a business.
Further information
For further information on the tobacco laws and vending machines, contact Consumer and Business Services.