Imperial Tobacco’s plain packaging ‘the ultimate sick joke’

Sue Dunlevy
September 12, 2012
News Limited Network

THE first cigarettes in plain packaging have hit the major supermarkets – and they don’t comply with the government’s strict new rules.

One company, Imperial Tobacco, is using the new packaging to directly challenge the government by telling its Peter Stuyvesant brand customers “it’s what’s on the inside that counts”.

“Soon no one will see Peter Stuyvesant on the outside but we don’t care. We’re going plain early, because we know Peter Stuyvesant will continue to live on inside,” the company says in a leaflet advertising its packaging change to retailers.

Fellow tobacco giant Philip Morris has also failed to comply with the rules – despite making a more serious attempt.

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek has lashed out at Imperial Tobacco’s claim that its what’s on the inside that counts, as “the ultimate sick joke from Big Tobacco”.

Diseased lungs, hearts and arteries are the reality of what is happening on the inside to a smoker,” she said.

Imperial Tobacco told News Limited the new striptease style labels that show the old labels being ripped off to reveal plain packaging were essentially “a mechanism to provide factual information about upcoming legislative changes to adult consumers of the Peter Stuyvesant brand of cigarettes.”

Imperial Tobacco is using the new packaging to directly challenge the government by telling customers “it’s what’s on the inside that counts”.

“It is also important to inform our adult consumers that the product itself will remain unchanged,” a spokeswoman for the company said.

New regulations will require cigarette companies to start manufacturing cigarettes and tobacco products in drab packaging that includes large and graphic health warnings covering 75 per cent of the front of the pack from October 1.

From December 1 retailers will have to ensure all the tobacco products they sell are in the new packaging or risk heavy fines.

The Department of Health has signalled it will vigilantly police the new rules.

It has written to Philip Morris warning its new plain packaging of its Bond Street cigarettes only “heavily resembles the plain packaging requirements”.

“We note that if these products are sold, offered for sale or otherwise supplied after 1 December 2012 the packaging would not be compliant with the Act.

”The breach of the act could possibly expose the company to massive fines of up to $1.1 million.The department takes issues with the use of the word `cigarettes’ in small type on the side of the packet, it says the outer surfaces of the packet must have a “matt finish” and warns the pack may not be the correct colour – Pantone 448C.

The department has referred the health warnings contained on the pack to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to see if they comply with regulations.

Major retailers are expecting to receive deliveries of the new packs this week and Ms Plibersek says she will “be closely watching the new packages to ensure that they comply with the regulations because we know that Big Tobacco will use every trick in the book to try and get around the new requirements”.

“Where we identify any examples of possible non-compliance before the implementation dates we will be letting the companies know so they can rectify any issues,” she said.