ISSUES WITH PLAIN PACKAGING - ILLICIT TRADE

The introduction of plain packaging will stimulate both the demand and supply of illicit cigarettes as it will be easier to counterfeit cigarettes whilst also increasing demand for branded black market cigarettes.

Illicit cigarettes:

fund organised crime and terrorist groups
are frequently made in squalid conditions with no quality controls or regulatory oversight
rob governments and businesses of billions of dollars in lost revenue
undermine efforts to prevent youth smoking and other tobacco control measures

Facts about illicit trade:

One in three cigarettes in Canada and Malaysia are either contraband or counterfeit.
Illicit cigarettes cost governments an estimated $40.5 billion annually in lost revenue.
Counterfeit cigarettes have been found to contain rat droppings, fiberglass as well as higher levels of toxic chemicals.
About 30% of under-18s in the UK admit to buying illicit tobacco.
Since 2005, 30 factories producing counterfeit cigarettes were closed down in the EU alone.

Countries that have considered plain packaging

Australia

Canada

United Kingdom

Australia

Canada

United Kingdom

RETAILERS & CONSUMERS

What will plain packaging mean for them?

Confusion and inconvenience
Security problems
Loss of revenue to illicit trade

IN THE NEWS

The controversy surrounding plain packaging has generated significant media coverage.

DOCUMENTS & STUDIES

Government proposals, responses to those proposals and expert opinions on plain packaging.

Philip Morris International Management S.A. (PMIMSA) is opposed to legislation mandating plain packaging of tobacco products. We support effective regulation of tobacco based on the principle of harm reduction but plain packaging is an extreme measure unproven to have any effect in reducing smoking. We believe that adult smokers should be able to see, identify and select the brands they prefer.

We have developed this website in order to provide information on the issues surrounding plain packaging and to describe its likely effects on retailers, manufacturers, governments and consumers.