Health Minister Marisol Touraine said plain packaging for cigarettes will be implemented by early 2016, Agence France-Presse reported.

The French law would be less restrictive than in Australia, which in 2012 mandated uniform olive-brown packs mostly covered with health warnings. Branding is strictly limited. France also would mandate packs with the same shape, size, colour and typeface, but allow, "very discreet," branding, proscribed in size and pack placement, AFP said. Speaking on French radio, Touraine said plain packaging “should be in tobacconists at the beginning of the year 2016”, AFP reported.