by Tobacco packaging plays an influential role in attracting consumers especially youth and children towards smoking. As per the research of World Health Organization, plain and generic packaging with large health warnings is one of the most effective policies to reduce the appeal of tobacco products and discourage people from taking up smoking. Most countries around the world have now made it mandatory to have strong graphic health warnings covering at least 50-60% of the principal display areas on tobacco packaging. Some countries like Australia have even implemented plain packaging regulations where logos and branding information of tobacco companies are removed or restricted.
Canada was one of the earliest countries to implement plain Global Tobacco Packaging regulations in the world. As per the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act passed in the year 1997, all tobacco products sold in Canada must be in plain and standardized packaging without any logos or brand imagery. Only the brand name is permitted in a standardized font size and position. Graphic health warnings covering 75% of the front and back of cigarette packs were also mandated. Studies showed dramatic reduction in smoking rates, especially youth smoking after implementation of these regulations in Canada.
Australia followed the Canadian model and became the first country to fully implement plain packaging rules in the year 2012. All tobacco products sold in Australia must be packaged in dull olive color with the brand name in a standardized font size. Graphic health warnings covering 90% of the front and 75% of the back of cigarette packs are also mandated. Extensive research reviews conducted in subsequent years proved that plain packaging significantly reduced the appeal of tobacco products, increased effectiveness of health warnings and led to decline in smoking rates in Australia.
European Union adopts larger graphic warnings
Inspired by the success of plain packaging policies in Canada and Australia, European Union also implemented tobacco control reforms. In 2014, EU Tobacco Products Directive was adopted which standardized various aspects of tobacco packaging across all EU member states. This directive mandated that health warnings must cover 65% of the front and back sides of cigarette packs and packs of roll-your-own tobacco. It also prohibited promotional and misleading elements on packs like inserts, outer packaging and usage of flavors.
Implementation of larger graphic health warnings as per EU directive led to positive public health impacts. Studies found that graphic warnings increased awareness about health risks, reinforced warning messages and prompted more smokers to think about quitting or reducing tobacco consumption. By 2020, EU directive was updated to further increase the size of warnings to cover 60% of the front and back of packs replacing the earlier 65% mandate. This led to health warnings dominating tobacco packages across Europe supporting public awareness campaigns.
plain packages in United Kingdom
United Kingdom has a long history of implementing strong tobacco control policies and was pioneering standardized tobacco packaging regulations globally. In the year 2016, UK became the third country in the world to fully implement standardized plain packaging. Under the ‘Tobacco Products Regulations’ laws, all tobacco products sold in UK must be packed in standardized drab dark brown color casing with brand name printed in small standardized font.
Graphic health warnings were also increased to cover 65% of principal display areas. Initial research from 2017 found that post plain packaging implementation, tobacco products looked less attractive, felt less satisfying and smoking became less rewarding to young people in UK. By 2018, more robust reviews concluded that standardized packaging significantly reduced brand appeal, increased effectiveness of health warnings and led 4.5% drop in smoking prevalence rates in UK in initial years after implementation.
UK government has continued to strengthen policies even further in subsequent years. Latest regulations have increased the size of mandatory text and picture health warnings to cover 65% of the front and back of cigarette packs. Other tobacco products like cigars or rolling tobacco packs also need to carry prominent pictorial health warnings post new regulatory changes. Research outcomes from countries that have implemented plain packaging have shaped global policy consensus and led World Health Organization to recommend broader adoption of standardized packaging models globally.
Global tobacco packaging policies help curb smoking rates
With increasing evidence of positive public health impacts from standardized packaging regulations in pioneering countries of Canada, Australia, UK and European nations, momentum for adoption of such policy models has picked up around the world. In 2020, New Zealand became fourth country to implement strict plain packaging requirements. Tobacco products in New Zealand are now mandated to be sold only in dull packet with standardized designs and brand name in a mandated size, style and location.
Countries like Ireland, France, Slovenia, Belgium have also notified implementation of plain packaging norms in subsequent phase as per EU directive deadline of 2022. With more such countries adopting stricter tobacco control interventions, global tobacco packaging landscape is witnessing massive shift towards enforced graphic health warnings and removal of promotional elements or brand visibility on packs. Smoke-free movements around the world are advocating the need for global adoption of standardized packaging policies to further curb smoking epidemic and discourage younger generation from getting addicted towards tobacco products via clever branding or marketing.
As per WHO, about one person dies every four seconds due to direct tobacco use or exposure to secondhand smoke. Global tobacco control needs unified approach and strong enforcement of evidenced based policy interventions. Wider adoption of standardized plain packaging models can be a game changer in reducing tobacco addiction rates worldwide. With increasing evidence of public health benefits, more countries should recognize the need to shift towards mandatory plain packaging regulations and set global benchmarks to curb tobacco packaging as a marketing tool for largest preventable cause of death. Standardizing tobacco packaging globally will definitely aid progress towards smoke-free societies for future generations.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
