Cigarette manufacturers lose brand war as Government pushes through plain packaging laws

The Government has announced that it is going to push through new laws that will deny cigarette manufacturers in England the opportunity to portray their brand and image on their products’ packaging. After some previous announcements and consultations, the Government wishes to see the law changed this side of May’s General Election and come into force in 2016. The change has cross-party support and would see England become the second country in the world – after Australia in 2012 – to have plain packaging (or even packaging with off-putting symbols and pictures). Critics of the policy argue that this is unfair to the tobacco businesses; and removal of the brands will encourage more counterfeit products, which could be even more damaging to users’ health.