The government today launched its much anticipated consultation into whether to force tobacco manufacturers to remove all branding from their products in a move it hopes will help reduce the 100,000 deaths a year it says are caused by smoking.
The announcement comes just over a week since tobacco kiosks in large stores in England ‘went dark’ thanks to phase one of the tobacco display ban.
It’s provoked some fairly predictable responses.
Manufacturers say that to remove branding is to deny them the fundamental right to compete against rival brands. They make a legal product, after all, and although there is often talk about similar moves being proposed to tackle problems with binge drinking or obesity, it is extremely unlikely the government would consider such a measure on anything other than tobacco.
Retailers’ and wholesalers’ arguments are similar to those used in the ultimately doomed fight against the display ban - that plain packs won’t reduce smoking, but will make it far easier for the criminal gangs who control the illicit trade.
And of course the anti-tobacco lobby is delighted, although the British Heart Foundation’s description of the existence of branded tobacco packaging as “an absurd loophole” led to plenty of head-scratching here in the office.
In this week’s issue of The Grocer we will be looking to answer all the burning questions on the plain packaging debate: the arguments for and against; the likely impact of plain packs; the chances of the government going ahead - and its legality.
Anyone who would like to have their say should get in touch via email at ronan.hegarty@thegrocer.co.uk or tweet @TheGrocer.
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