Tobacco company questions plain pack consultation process

JTI (Japan Tobacco International) has launched a £2 million campaign "to share its views" on the consequences of plain packaging.

The initiative was announced 24 hours after the Government announced a four-week extension to the consultation period.

“There is a debate shaping up around standardised packaging and we are an important part of it”, noted Martin Southgate, Managing Director UK for JTI. “We are seriously concerned about the way the consultation has been managed from the start."

The campaign kicks off this weekend in UK wide publications – targeting government and business decision makers. JTI highlights the distinct lack of evidence supporting the Department of Health’s consultation on plain packaging, which ignores the Government's own Better Regulation rules.

See: Challenging UK "plain" cigarette packs (JTI). You can view the ads here.