A federal government proposal to allow pharmacies to sell smoke-free tobacco, to the exclusion of convenience stores has been condemned by the industry.

The National Retail Association (NRA) has described the proposal put forward by the government to the Therapeutic Goods Administration to consider allowing pharmacies to sell smoke-free nicotine products as the ‘worst of both worlds’ for C-stores, who are heavily reliant on tobacco sales. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said allowing pharmacies to sell the products would create a monopoly, to the detriment of small convenience retailers.