Forest takes on tobacco display ban

The tobacco industry has launched a fightback against the government’s moves to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes.

The Grocer understands the government will begin its consultation on plain packaging in March. With this in mind, pro-smokers lobby group Forest this week launched a campaign calling on consumers to petition government against the measure.

Forest said the move, supported by the UK’s major tobacco manufacturers, was a response to a campaign launched last month by an alliance of anti-tobacco groups.

“Stephen Williams MP, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health, has challenged us to rise to the debate,” said Forest director Simon Clark.

Jeremy Blackburn, JTI head of communications, told The Grocer there “was a real concern plain packaging could exacerbate the problems around the illicit trade”.

Judges in Scotland this week dismissed an appeal from Imperial Tobacco against the Scottish Parliament’s plans to bring in a tobacco display ban.