How public money is influencing the consultation on plain packaging
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 6:30 
Sadly this post is NOT an April Fool.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money is being spent to influence the public to support plain packaging of tobacco.
Freedom of information requests have revealed that Smokefree South West (SFSW) has budgeted over £450,000 for its Plain Packs Protect campaign.
This includes £100,398 for billboard advertisements (above), £127,685 for digital advertising, almost £100,000 for “community events”, and £141,000 for other social marketing initiatives.
Smokefree South West is funded by all 14 local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) which are funded by central government via the NHS.
At least eight of the 20 organisations supporting Plain Packs Protect receive (or have received) public money. They include ASH, ASH Scotland, ASH Wales, Fresh (Smokefree North East), Smokefree Lincs, Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre and Tobacco Free Futures (Smokefree North West).
The Hands Off Our Packs campaign has released a press release: FoI requests reveal extent of public money being used to lobby government on plain packaging.
Here are a couple of quotes:
Hands Off Our Packs campaigner Angela Harbutt said, “£468,000 is a lot of money to be spent by just one region to lobby government to promote plain packaging. When public money is used by public bodies to lobby the public to lobby government, you have to ask what is going on."
Simon Clark, director of Forest, said, “Since its launch Plain Packs Protect has been actively promoting plain packaging online and through billboard advertisements that have sprung up all over the south west of England.
"We wondered how they could afford to pay for them. Now we know. It is scandalous that public money is being used to manipulate the result of a government consultation."
Obviously we can't rely on the mainstream media to run this story so it's over to you and the blogging community. Please download the HOOPS press release. Send it to your MP, your local newspaper and anyone who may be interested.
Dick Puddlecote has more to say here: 'Government lobbying government' confirmed in the South West.
H/T DP and everyone who submitted FoI questions on this issue. Thanks to your efforts the truth is out.
See also: Why are we paying for this? (Velvet Glove Iron Fist)
Reader Comments (2)
“Since its launch Plain Packs Protect has been actively promoting plain packaging online and through billboard advertisements that have sprung up all over the south west of England."
But the silly thing is they don't need to spend any of our money on it, the whole country is already signed up, it's just a case of getting round to introducing it.
I do wish they'd just be honest with us.
"16. Plain packaging.
"The effect of advertising or promotion on packaging can be eliminated by requiring plain packaging: black and white or two contrasting colours, as prescribed by national authorities: nothing other than a brand name and/or manufacturer's name, contact details and the quantity of the product in the packaging, without any logos or other features apart from health warnings, tax stamps and other government mandated information or markings: prescribed font style and size: and standardized shape, size and materials.
There should be no advertising or promotion inside or attached to the package or on individual cigarettes or other tobacco products"
http://www.who.int/fctc/guidelines/article_13.pdf
The display ban part of Article 13 is already underway.
12. Retail sale and display.
Display of tobacco products at point of sale in itself constitutes advertising and promotion.
Display of products is a key means of promoting tobacco products and tobacco use,including by stimulating impulse purchases of tobacco products,giving the impression that tobacco use is socially acceptable and making it harder for tobacco users to quit."
13."To ensure that points of sale of tobacco products do not have any promotional elements.
Parties should introduce a total ban on any display and on the visibility of tobacco products at points of sale, including fixed retail outlets and street vendors.
Only textual listing of products and their prices, without any promotional elements, would be allowed."
Now if they posted that on their billboards, it really would be a public service, rather than an insult to everyone's intelligence.
It doesn't matter what you say to the UK government on this - they are simply jumping before the EU pushes them.
It is a shame that significant protests like this one waste their efforts instead of attacking the real enemy.
The government will not back down on this, as they will be forced to implement it by the EU soon anyway and how would it make them (and their beloved EU) look to the people of the UK?
Imagine you win you campaign in the UK - then in a few months the Government roll over for the EU? Having decided to jump to look 'strong' to wait to be pushed would be far too damaging.
If you want personal freedom, then supportng UKIP's policy of bringing power back to Westminster from Brussels is your only option.