Ireland under pressure on plain packs

Associations representing German advertisers and brand owners have written to the Irish ambassador in Berlin saying plans for standardized tobacco packaging would, if implemented, have ‘devastating’ economic implications for Irish companies, according to a story by Juno McEnroe for the Irish Examiner.

The associations have warned also that the tobacco market would be ‘swamped’ with counterfeit products and that this would ‘endanger’ people’s health.

And the German Brands Association has apparently told the ambassador that ‘banning brands’ on tobacco goods would upset consumers and might well lessen their acceptance of the health warnings.

Meanwhile, the Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, is facing pressure from German MEPs and other EU politicians to scrap Ireland’s plans for standardized packaging for tobacco products.

The full story is at: http://www.irishexaminer.com/analysis/german-brands-turn-up-heat-on-plain-cigarette-packaging-279202.html.