One in three tobacconists still sells tobacco to minors illegally, half as much as four years ago, an anti-tobacco association has found, welcoming this "significant decrease" on Wednesday but judging the situation "still worrying".
During the summer of 2025, the Audirep research institute conducted a thousand "mystery visits" in pairs across the country for the National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT), during which a 17-year-old minor tried to buy tobacco and an adult checked whether the tobacconist was complying with the refusal to sell to minors.
The study revealed that nearly a third of tobacconists agree to sell tobacco (31%) or e-liquid for vaping (32%) to minors, despite the ban dating back to 2009 for the former and 2015 for the latter, according to results shared with AFP. The figure is similar for vaping retailers, with a proportion of 34%.
These sales to minors are more frequent in Île-de-France, in the Grand Est and in municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, "the anonymity inherent in large cities encouraging non-compliance with regulations", according to the CNCT.
In 2021, a previous survey (of 403 tobacconists) showed that approximately two-thirds (64%) were breaking the law. The association believes that the "significant decrease" recorded this year is due to "the mobilization of public authorities" and legal action.
But "the situation remains worrying" because "tobacco products remain extremely accessible to young people," says the CNCT, noting that eight out of ten tobacconists visited (81%) do not ask for the buyer's identity card - it is 77% for vaping stores.
“Progress has been made, but we really need to continue our efforts,” Emmanuelle Béguinot, director of the CNCT, told AFP; “we are still seeing convicted tobacconists who continue to sell, without any age checks.” In cases of repeat offenses, the association wants a permanent suspension of the tobacconist's license—and a similar mechanism for vaping products.
"This is a major issue for the profession, a daily effort to achieve the 100% standard of irreproachable conduct. There is total responsible involvement from the entire profession, despite the daily scenes of verbal abuse, intimidation, or increasingly innovative techniques used by young people in our establishments," the Confederation of Tobacconists told AFP.
On October 1st, the Council of State rejected an appeal by the Alliance Against Tobacco, which had requested stricter enforcement of the ban on tobacco sales to minors. The highest administrative court ruled that "concrete actions are already underway," including "systematic disciplinary proceedings" and fines increased to €1,500 in June.
The Council noted, however, that the ban on sales to minors was "currently very insufficiently respected" in France.
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