No more stopping on the highway? The president of the national confederation of tobacconists Philippe Coy affirmed this Sunday in an interview with Ouest-France that it would soon be possible to pay certain toll bills in tobacco shops.
This service will first be accessible on the Paris - Normandy route. In October 2023, it was announced that the toll gates on the A13 and A14 would be replaced by gantries equipped with cameras. These will record the registration plate of the motorist, who will be able to pay his bill afterwards, on the Internet or at a tobacconist.
“We will pass certain tolls without stopping but you will have 48 hours to pay for your passage. This can be done online. But by the second half of the year, it will be possible to pay for it at your tobacconist,” explained Philippe Coy. “This collection is based on the Nirio network (Française des jeux) which manages private collection. Already 10,000 tobacconist operators are approved,” continued the representative of the sector.
Evolution of the profession of tobacconist
Payment of fines or taxes, sale of hunting ammunition... The profession of tobacconist has changed greatly in recent years, particularly to cope with the decline in cigarette sales.
“My desire is to turn tobacconists into
everyday
drugstores
. That is to say, places where you can always find the product you want at the last minute: a gift, local products, batteries, headphones, stationery... defended Philippe Coy.