UK to introduce plain packaging for tobacco from May 2016

Public Health Minister says policy is "a proportionate and justified response to the considerable public health harm from smoking tobacco"

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The UK’s Public Health Minister Jane Ellison has confirmed that from May 2016, cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco will have to be sold in England in standardised packs.

However Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will need to confirm whether they consent to the regulations applying to those parts of the UK.

In a statement, the Public Health Minister said: “Having considered all the evidence, the Secretary of State and I believe that the policy is a proportionate and justified response to the considerable public health harm from smoking tobacco. The Chief Medical Officer has confirmed this view.

“I now propose that we lay regulations for standardised packaging in this Parliament to allow for them to come into force at the same time as the European Tobacco Products Directive in May 2016. In doing so we would be bringing the prospect of our first smoke-free generation one step closer.”

The proposed regulations, published in draft form as part of the last consultation, would standardise the packaging of all cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco for retail sale by:
• specifying mandatory colours for retail packaging (dull brown for the outside and white for the inside)
• permitting only specified text (such as the brand and variant name) and making sure any permitted text conforms to particular requirements
• allowing required markings such as health warnings and fiscal marks (including covert markings and any future requirements that may be introduced to tackle illicit trade) to remain in place

However retailers and tobacco manufacturers here in Ireland have expressed concern that the measure could increase the illicit trade of tobacco. NFRN Ireland recently addressed the issue here.

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