Australia to ban logos on cigarette packets

Published on Thursday 29 April 2010 14:04

THE Australian government has passed tough new tobacco logos which will see cigarettes sold in plain packaging with prominent health warnings.

• What the new packaging is expected to look like

The ban would take effect from July 2012 and see packets with only small generic writing signalling the type of brand.

The government also announced it would increase the cigarette tax by 25%, driving up the price of a packet of 30 cigarettes by about 2.16 Australian dollars (1.30).

"The new branding for cigarettes will be the most hardline regime in the world and cigarette companies will hate it," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said.

Tobacco companies slammed the move and have vowed to fight it in court.

"Introducing plain packaging just takes away the ability of a consumer to identify our brand from another brand and that's of value to us," an Imperial Tobacco Australia spokeswoman said, adding the company plans to take legal action.

Retailers said the tax rise would hurt their businesses and bolster the cigarette black market.

"It's a lazy policy response being pushed by some health advocates,"