Tobacconists are negotiating with the Ministry of the Interior to be able to sell hunting ammunition from the start of 2024

“A carton of cigarettes, and two cartridges for my gun!” The president of the Confederation of tobacconists Philippe Coy confirmed, Friday November 24, the existence of discussions between his federation, that of hunters and the Ministry of the Interior with a view to authorizing the sale by tobacconists of hunting ammunition early 2024.

“I met the Ministry of the Interior a few weeks ago, which presented me with this proposal which I found very interesting knowing that it had also been proposed or suggested in joint reflections that we have in the network” tobacconists, declared Philippe Coy. It was “reassured a few days ago by an exchange with the hunters’ federation and its president Willy Schraen to share our visions, also understand the need”he continued.

Diversification of tobacconists

This measure is part of the diversification of tobacconists’ activities, encouraged by the government: parcel relays, concierge services, snacking, newspaper sales, management of postal parcels, etc.

It emerged on Wednesday on the Chassons TV channel. The head of the Central Arms and Explosives Service of the Ministry of the Interior Jean-Simon Mérandat then explained that these sales would be authorized from January 1. The objective for him is to “bring dealers closer to our fellow citizens who go hunting”sometimes forced to do “60, 70 kilometers to go buy your cartridges”.

Philippe Coy prefers to procrastinate on the calendar and instead evokes the first quarter of 2024, the time to understand the precise needs of hunters and to offer training to tobacconists interested in this extension of skills. The National Committee Against Tobacco (CNCT) reacted on Friday by questioning the character “reasonable” of this measure, arguing that according to their data “two out of three tobacconists continue to sell tobacco to minors completely illegally.”