Cigarette producers are facing ever stricter legal requirements, also in terms of packaging. In the new episode of the 'Tobacco & Vape, News & Views' podcast series on the Business Insights online platform, Mike Ridgway, Managing Director of the Consumer Packaging Manufactures Alliance gives his views on the matter – and pulls no punches with his criticism of political decision-makers.

In many countries, cigarettes must be offered for sale in neutral, uniform packaging. In the current episode of the 'Tobacco & Vape, News & Views' podcast on the InterTabac Business Insights platform, Mike Ridgway takes a clear position on this, contending that the packaging – with its large warnings and accompanying images – does not discourage anyone from smoking. The Consumer Packaging Manufactures Alliance is an independent advisory body working with European governments. Its aim is to ensure that packaging legislation is fair for both the consumer and the industry in question.
Ridgway, who stresses in the podcast that he has never smoked himself, reckons an example is being made of tobacco products: “The only thing that could stop people from smoking is the price. Anything else is an attempt by politicians to sabotage a legal product. And when they're done with tobacco products, alcohol or sweets could be next,” he cautions. The only thing uniform packaging achieves, in his opinion, is the destruction of brands and manufacturers, as they can no longer differentiate themselves from each other.
The entire podcast is now available online at: https://business-insights.intertabac.de/en-gb/media-center
'Tobacco & Vape, News & Views' is a podcast series that appears on Business Insights. This is the interactive platform of InterTabac, the world's largest trade show for tobacco products and smoking accessories. This will take place in Dortmund from 15 to 17 September along with InterSupply, the leading trade show for manufacturing processes behind tobacco products, e-cigarettes, pipes and hookahs.