Westminster publishes details for introducing plain packs across the UK

News Release: FOR IMMEDIATE USE 26 June 2014

Child protection measure needs strong, speedy implementation

The Westminster Government has today (26th June) published draft regulations to introduce plain, standardised packaging for tobacco products across the UK. The move follows a long and rancorous campaign which pitted a strong and united public health lobby against persistent opposition from tobacco companies willing to spend millions of pounds to prevent the measure.

The policy of removing the branding and logos from tobacco packaging, to make it less attractive, was first introduced in Australia in December 2012. The impact of the measure has been the subject of fierce debate – tobacco industry claims that tobacco sales and the illicit market have increased have been undermined by official figures and statements showing the opposite.

The UK is one of several countries, including Ireland, France and New Zealand, looking to follow Australia’s lead. The Scottish Government made an early commitment to support plain packs, vowing to introduce the measure if Westminster did not.

The detail of the regulations will now be the subject of a six-week consultation period, with the expectation that the measure will be finalised and agreed before next year’s Westminster elections.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of health campaign ASH Scotland, said:

“After a long and hard campaign the publication of detailed regulations for plain packs represents a bloody nose for the tobacco industry, the campaign front groups they have funded and the retail interests who have worked with them.

“The vast majority of smokers started as teenagers. We need strong plain packaging regulations to be implemented swiftly – because every day roughly 40 young Scots become smokers.

“Tobacco companies oppose plain packs for the same reason that we support them, because they understand that reducing the appeal of tobacco will mean fewer of our children starting to smoke. That is something we should all welcome.”

Ends

For further information, or to arrange an interview with Sheila Duffy, please contact John Watson on 0131 220 9468 or jwatson@ashscotland.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. So-called “plain packs” are not plain and contain health warnings and other security/identification measures set against a drab background. The sample images below illustrate the proposed UK regulations.
2. Research evidence consistently suggests that plain packaging will: make tobacco products less attractive to young people; reduce mistaken perceptions regarding brands such as, for example, that cigarettes in lighter packaging are less harmful; and increase the prominence and effectiveness of health warnings
3. Plain packs is intended to be a long term measure, and evidence from Australia is still accumulating, but: the introduction of plain packs was followed by a sustained increase in calls to a stop-smoking helpline; having all cigarettes in packs of uniform colour, size and design has not caused retail staff any problems in serving customers; the Australian Treasury has produced figures showing tobacco sales falling since the introduction of plain packaging; speaking to the Chantler Review a representative of British American Tobacco admitted that they had seen a reduction in counterfeiting of their brands since the introduction of plain packaging
4. Plain packaging is popular and has been supported by large majorities in both Holyrood and Westminster. A YouGov poll in February 2014 found 64% of Scottish adults in support and only 11% opposing.
5. The consultation documents can be found at http://consultations.dh.gov.uk/tobacco/standardised-packaging-of-tobacco-products-1/consult_view
6. Information on the tobacco industry campaign of opposition in Scotland can be found at http://www.tobaccotactics.org/index.php/Plain_Packaging_Opposition_in_Scotland