Our contribution to the protection of minors

Since 1 October 2024, the new Federal Act on Tobacco Products, Snus and E-Cigarettes has been in force in Switzerland. This law aims to better protect young people from the health risks of tobacco and nicotine products.

There is a clear rule in Switzerland. The sale and distribution are only allowed from the age of 18.

This standardised a practice that had previously differed in some cases from canton to canton. The same minimum age now applies throughout Switzerland – regardless of whether you shop in a retail store, at a vending machine or online.

How Tamar Trade GmbH implements age verification

As a provider, we have a special responsibility. Tamar Trade GmbH has deliberately decided to use a mandatory age check in the ordering process:

• No order without age indication
  • At checkout, the date of birth must be entered.
• Auto-lock
  • If the customer is under 18 years of age, the system does not allow purchases.
• Control by our team
  • Conspicuous orders (e.g. contradictory dates, unrealistic years of birth or indications of underage buyers) will be checked manually and cancelled if necessary.
• Protection against misuse
  • Anyone who intentionally provides false information or places orders on behalf of minors must expect that Tamar will not only cancel the order, but also take legal action in the event of a repeat offense.

Our approach ensures that adult consumers can continue to order easily – but young people do not have access.

Differences between in-store and online retail

While in stationary sales it is usually sufficient to show an official ID, the requirements in online retail are more complex. The law currently gives providers leeway in technical implementation. Tamar deliberately goes beyond the minimum requirements and has introduced a system that effectively excludes minors.

A look into the future: Revision of the law from 2026

The existing requirements are only a first step. With a planned revision of the law, a new article is expected to be introduced from 2026. This obliges online providers to use a reliable age verification system. The Federal Council determines which procedures are specifically permitted. It is already clear today that simple queries such as "Yes, I am 18" will no longer be sufficient.

Tamar is keeping a close eye on developments and will introduce a system that meets the new requirements at an early stage – in compliance with data protection regulations, secure and at the same time user-friendly.

Consumer responsibility

We take the protection of minors very seriously and are dependent on the help of our consumers, because you also bear responsibility:

• Always state your age truthfully when buying.
• Support the measures instead of circumventing them.
• Help to consistently protect young people from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products.

Our clear stance

Tamar stands for transparency and responsibility. We regularly inform our customers about new legal requirements and adapt our processes on an ongoing basis. In this way, we ensure that tobacco and nicotine products are reserved exclusively for adults.