An international Deloitte report, commissioned by BAT, reveals that increasing the size of health warnings on packs and introducing graphic warnings has not directly reduced tobacco consumption.

British American Tobacco (BAT) yesterday released the findings of Deloitte's report, which assessed 27 countries covering a period of 14 years. The report, which is one of the most comprehensive and rigorous independent studies on tobacco packaging regulation to date, "did not identify any statistically significant direct relationship between tobacco packaging regulation, including the size and type of government health warnings, and changes in legal tobacco consumption".
BAT therefore calls into question whether plain packaging will achieve government health objectives.
The report also highlights potential unintended consequences if plain packaging for tobacco products were introduced – including a increase in the illegal tobacco market, lost tobacco tax revenues, potentially significant legal and compensation costs for governments and cost burdens on small retailers.
BAT said it commissioned the report in the absence of any comprehensive global studies on the impacts of tobacco packaging and hopes governments will study it. Regulatory affairs manager Bede Fennell said: "We are concerned that health warning and plain packaging proposals are being rushed through without proper thought as to the real impact." (ci)