Plain Packaging

PLAIN PACKAGING AROUND THE WORLD

WHAT IS PLAIN AND STANDARDIZED PACKAGING

Tobacco packs can be colorful, attractive, and come in exciting shapes and sizes. Plain and standardized packaging policies remove the potential for companies to use these attractive elements by requiring the tobacco pack to be presented in one color, shape, and size that is designed to be minimally attractive. IGTC created a library of high quality plain and standardized packaging images from around the world.

More Information

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Plain and standardized packaging was first implemented in Australia in 2012 and has since spread to many other, mostly high-income countries.1 Studies have shown that plain and standardized packaging has been effective in decreasing the appeal of cigarettes among adolescents and young people, and increased cigarette quit attempts.2

ADVICE FROM EXPERTS ON ADVANCING PLAIN AND STANDARDIZED PACKAGING IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

Throughout 2018 and into 2019, IGTC conducted interviews with researchers, policymakers, advocates, and other members of civil society to learn more about the successes, lessons learned, and advice from the passage and implementation of plain and standardized packaging in their countries. Almost two dozen interviews were conducted with individuals from nine countries (Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Uruguay). Low- and middle-income countries may not have the resources to conduct all the background research that was performed in high-income countries such as Australia. Therefore, we set out to learn what evidence these experts felt was crucial in the process of enacting, implementing and defending their policies against lawsuits. Advocates seeking to expand tobacco packaging requirements in their country can use the information from these interviews to help guide their tobacco control efforts. The report is available on our website.

FUNDING

This work was supported with funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (www.bloomberg.org).

DeAtley T, Bianco E, Welding K, Cohen JE. Compliance with Uruguay’s single presentation requirement. Tobacco Control 2017; 0: 1-5. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053402.

 

REFERENCES 

  1. https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/plainpackaging
  2. Chipty T. Study of the impact of the tobacco plain packaging measure on smoking prevalence in Australia. Appendix A. In: Australian Government Department of Health. Post-Implementation Review. Tobacco Plain Packaging. 24 January 2016. [accessed 5 September 2019]

 

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