“It is regrettable that this issue has been caught up in knee-jerk electioneering at the expense of evidence-based policy making”, Imperial said in a statement. “After two years of the failed experiment in Australia there remains no credible evidence that plain packaging is having any impact on tobacco consumption rates. Illicit trade, however, has increased significantly.”
Health Minister Jane Ellison said the measure which would also apply to rolling tobacco would go to the House of Commons for a vote prior to adjournment in April, prior to the May election. Implementation was projected for May, 2016.
“This is a serious error in judgment”, said BAT. “It is also inappropriate for the UK government to pre-empt the findings of its own public consultation by rushing this announcement out.”