LONDON - The British government said earlier this week that it plans to ban the display of tobacco products and may even introduce a plain packaging requirement, a concerted effort to curb smoking, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Under the country's Tobacco Control Plan, restrictions banning the display of tobacco products in the majority of instances will take effect in large stores in April 2012 and in all stores in April 2015.
Proponents of the plan maintain that the display of tobacco products in stores can promote smoking by young people and that it undermines the efforts of those who are trying to quit.
Coinciding with the publication of the plan, the government also launched a formal consultation on ways to reduce the effect of tobacco packaging, including introducing plain packaging. The formal consultation process is a step forward from last year, when the government said it was considering plain packaging.
If England introduces plain packs, it would become the first European Union country to do so.
"It's good news that the government plans to take down tobacco displays in shops and is considering stripping the attractive packaging from cigarettes. These two moves would complement each other very well and together would help save lives," said Cancer Research U.K. CEO Harpal Kumar, adding that the group is "very disappointed that there is going to be such a delay in the removal of tobacco displays in small shops."
The British American Tobacco (BAT) blasted the government's announcement, saying that it will have economic consequences for small retailers.
"We are disappointed the government didn't properly consider the views of the tens of thousands of smaller retailers nationwide who are worried about costly shop refits, losing trade to big supermarkets and the black market, especially against a backdrop of tough economic times," a BAT spokesperson said.
The tobacco industry also maintains there is no evidence to support the claim that plain packaging would influence smoking rates, and it is fighting the proposal on the basis of intellectual property rights, international trade and European law.