The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) has withdrawn from the Alliance of Australian Retailers, formed earlier this year to fight the government’s proposal to mandate plain paper packaging for cigarettes.

The AACS announced on their website that they were withdrawing from the alliance because they wanted to "remain focused on the broader issues that affect the convenience sector", and because the alliance "had different priorities". The alliance, which comprises of the Service Station Association, Australian Newsagents' Federation and National Independent Retailers Association, is supported by tobacco giants, British American Tobacco Australia, Philip Morris and Imperial Tobacco Australia. AACS said they would no longer be supporting the alliance in the fight against the proposal to mandate plain packaging for cigarettes, however would continue to lobby governments on other tobacco regulations, which drove consumers away from convenience channel to the black market.
The government announced in April that Australia would be the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes. From 2012, tobacco companies will only be allowed to print their brand name in a standard style and there will still be graphic health warnings on the packaging. (pi)