Portugal’s Public Smoking Ban

By: Eddie Correia on December 20, 2007 
Filed Under Portuguese Business


Portugal remains one of the few European countries left that still allows public smoking, mostly do to the fear of lost business.

However, in May 2007, the Portuguese parliament approved a law banning smoking in all public places smaller than 100m2, by January 1st, 2008. So in a few days, Portugal will join other European countries in an attempt to cut down on tobacco-related deaths.

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Speaking to some of our favorite restaurateurs here in Algarve, there seems to be a mixed feeling about the smoking ban.

There’s the group that fears the ban will crush their businesses. Then there’s those who show optimism “we might lose some guests who smoke, but we could gain non-smoking clients”. Voila!

It always fascinated me how a quarter of the Portuguese population who smoke seem to have a louder voice than 75% of the population who don’t. So there could actually be a new opportunity to capitalize on the non-smokers who are about to come out of hiding.

What remains to be seen is the after math of the restaurants and establishments, who didn’t heed the warning to make their establishments non-smoking friendly. Either way, an interesting strategy to differentiate could be on the horizon.

Filed Under Portuguese Business

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