Hong Kong will remove branding from cigarette packs
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Hong Kong’s Department of Health will begin requiring plain packaging for cigarettes in March, with full enforcement by December.
The new rules will eliminate logos, colourful designs, and other branding elements from cigarette packs. Manufacturers must comply with the changes by the end of next year. The legislation will allow only brand and variant names to appear on packs, printed in a standard font and plain brown colour.
Health officials believe the plain packaging will make cigarettes less appealing, especially to new smokers. Dr Manny Lam Man-chung, head of the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, explained the measure would reduce the influence of branding and make health warnings on packaging more noticeable. He referenced a 2023 study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong which found that nearly 80 percent of smokers surveyed reported plain packaging decreased the attractiveness of cigarettes.
Hong Kong joins 27 other countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, and France, that have already implemented standardised cigarette packaging.
