Adelaide, Australia - Imperial Tobacco stops marketing promotion..

December 22, 2008 - Cigarette giant Imperial Tobacco has dramatically pulled its tobacco products from Adelaide, Australia fashion stores after the brazen tactic to ensnare young smokers was exposed. Last week we reported that Imperial Tobacco had been providing cash incentives for high-end clothing stores and hair salons to stock Peter Stuyvesant brand cigarettes in specially designed cigarette dispensers.

Imperial Tobacco announced it would have all cigarettes out of boutiques by January 31, 2009. The tobacco company's legal and corporate affairs director, Pardeep Grewal, revealed the change in a letter to South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon, who attacked the company over its promotion in trendy stores. "(The company) has recently reviewed this situation and has decided to withdraw our dispensers from these particular types of outlets," Mr Grewal said.legal and corporate affairs director, Pardeep Grewal, revealed the change withdraw our dispensers from these particular types of outlets," Mr Grewal said.

Senator Xenophon and Associate Professor of Business Law at the University of NSW, Frank Zumbo, said the company should be investigated for several potential breaches of the Trade Practices Act in its marketing campaign.

Reference: Cigarette push stubbed out, SAM KELTON. Adelaide Now, 12/21/2008.