Plain packs proposal “a serious error of judgement”

Legislation aimed at imposing in the UK standardized packaging for cigarettes and fine-cut tobacco is due to be put before parliament during the current session, which is scheduled to end on March 30.

Many observers had assumed that the legislation would not be introduced until after May 7, when the UK is due to go to the polls in a general election.

Imperial Tobacco said in a note posted on its website that it was ‘surprised and disappointed by the government’s decision to rush ahead with plain packaging legislation’.

‘After two years of the failed experiment in Australia there remains no credible evidence that plain packaging is having any impact on tobacco consumption rates,’ the note said.

‘Illicit trade, however, has increased significantly.

‘It is regrettable that this issue has been caught up in knee-jerk electioneering at the expense of evidence-based policy making.

‘As we’ve always said, we have a fundamental right to differentiate our brands from those of competitors. Legal action is always a last resort but when legislation is published we will be considering our options.’

If the legislation is passed, it is likely to come into force in May 2016, along with the provisions of the revised EU Tobacco Products Directive, which does not call for standardized packaging.

A British American Tobacco spokesperson described the proposal as “a serious error of judgment given the clear evidence from Australia that plain packaging has not achieved any of its public health objectives and has increased illicit trade to its highest level in seven years”.

“It is also inappropriate for the UK government to pre-empt the findings of its own public consultation by rushing this announcement out.”