Tobacco companies are continuing to sign exclusive deals with festival organisers to ensure theirs are the only cigarettes on sale even though this against the law, according to journalists specialising in the tobacco industry.

Researchers visited 24 festivals in the Netherlands over a two month period and found exclusive deals appear to have been signed at 17. Thirteen festivals only sold cigarettes produced by Philip Morris and four were confined to British American Tobacco.

Dutch laws on tobacco ban exclusive sales deals by clubs, bars and the rest of the hospitality sector.

Festival organiser Mojo said in a reaction that ‘just because one company’s products are on sale does not mean there has been an exclusivity deal’.

British American Tobacco took a similar line and said its agreements did not include exclusivity deals. Philip Morris declined to comment.

Last year the research team visited 21 festivals and found evidence of exclusive deals at 16 of them, including Pinkpop, Mysterland and other major events.