Packs of cigarettes containing less than 20 sticks and pouches less than 20g of tobacco are to be banned. The parliament also voted to ban methanol cigarettes and health warnings covering 65% of cigarette packs will be introduced by the EU.
Mike Ridgway, spokesman for seven UK packaging companies, said that the firms he represents were relieved that some of the severe measures were not adopted.
He noted that there were no limits introduced on the shape of cigarette cartons and regulation on loose tobacco would not go ahead. There were fears that this would prohibit the use of composite cans.
But Ridgway was disappointed at measures to increase health warnings to 65% of the surface area. He added that the growing market for e-cigarettes will not be treated as a medicine, which had also been proposed.
E-cigarettes consist of a battery, a cartridge containing nicotine, a solution of propylene glycol or glycerine mixed with water, and an atomiser to turn the solution into a vapour.
He said: “This increased regulation is largely unnecessary and will undoubtedly fuel the illicit trade across Europe which is ‘substantial’ in terms of volume and lost revenue to member states of the EU. These measures will be introduced mainly over a 24-36 month period but for menthol not until 2022.
“The packaging industry has always supported regulation where there is evidence that it will be effective and as with plain packaging, currently rejected by the UK government, there is no evidence that these excessive regulatory measures work. However what is known that where more education and information is available, as in Germany, smoking level uptake by young people has been effective.”
