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Comparison of Existing Laws

This table provides a comparison of the key features in plain packaging legislation from different countries. It is intended to provide examples but is not fully comprehensive for all features in each piece of legislation. The laws for some countries impose extremely detailed requirements, and it is recommended that officials refer to the specific legislation for these.

Feature or Element

Australia

Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011(TPPA)

Tobacco Plain Packaging Regulations 2011 (TPPR)

UK

Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 (SPTPR)

France

Ministerial Decree on Neutrality of Packaging of cigarettes and rolling tobacco of 21 March 2016 (MDNP)

Public Health Code (PHC)

Ireland

Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2015 (PHA)

(draft) Public Health(Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Regulations 2016 (PHR)

Hungary

Decree No. 239/2016 (D239)

(English)

Pack Color

Exterior: Pantone 448C, matte finish. TPPR 2.2.1(2)

Interior: white. TPPR 2.2.1(3)

Exterior: Pantone 448C, matte finish. SPTPR 2(2)

Interior: white or Pantone 448C. SPTPR 3(3)

Exterior: Pantone 448C. MDNP–1.a

Interior: white or Pantone 448C. MDNP - 3§1

Exterior: Pantone 448C, matte finish. PHR –6

Interior: white or Pantone 448C .PHR – 6

Exterior: Pantone 448M, matte finish.

Interior: white. D239 – 6B§3(a)
Text Color

Pantone Cool Gray 2C, matte finish. TPPR 2.4.2(2)

Pantone Cool Gray 2C, matte finish. SPTPR sch1 ¶1(2) and Sch3 ¶1(2)

Pantone Cool Gray 2C, matte finish. MDNP - 2§2d

Pantone Cool Gray 2C, matte finish. PHR 7(f)

Pantone Cool Gray 1M, matte finish. D239 – 6B§4(a)

Permitted text

Brand name, variant name.

TPPA 20(1-3) and 21(1)

Producers’ name and address, fire-risk statement, locally made product statement, origin mark.

TPPR 2.3.1(1)

Brand name, variant name.

SPTPR sch1 ¶1 and Sch3 ¶1

Producers’ name and address, fire risk statement, locally made product statement, origin mark.

SPTPR sch1 ¶3 and Sch3 ¶3

Brand name, variant name.

MDNP - 2§1

Producers’ name and address, fire risk statement, locally made product statement, origin mark.

MDNP - 2§3

Brand name, variant name.

PHA – 7(3)

Contact Details of Manufacturer.

PHR - 13

Brand Name and type of cigarette or cigarette tobacco brand.

D239 – 6B§3(f)
Other text requirements

All text: Lucida Sans, normal weighted regular font.

Various

Brand name: point 14.

TPPR 2.4.2(2)(b)

All other text: point 10.

Various

All text: Helvetica, normal weighted regular font.

SPTPR – sch1 and sch3 various

Brand name: point 14.

SPTPR sch1 ¶1(2)(j) and sch3 ¶1(2)(j)

All other text: point 10.

SPTPR sch1 and sch3 various

All text: Helvetica, normal weighted regular font. Brand name: point 14. All other text: point 10.

MDNP - 2§2 and 2§3

All text: Helvetica, normal weighted regular typeface.

PHR 7(d)-(e)

First letter capitalized and the rest in lower case

PHR 7(b)

Brand name: point 14.

PHR 7(j)

Variant name and manufacturer contact details: point 10.

PHR 7(k)

All text: Helvetica, normal weighted regular typeface. First letter capitalized and the rest in lower case Brand name: point 14. Variant name and manufacturer contact details: point 10.

D239 – 6C§4
Shape and type of packets for cigarettes

Rectangular, with 90 degree angles and specified dimensions for each surface.

TPPA18(2)(b) and TPPR 2.1.1(1)

Cuboid (rounded or bevelled edges permitted).

SPTPR 4(3)

Cuboid.

MDNP – 7§1

Cuboid (rounded or bevelled edges permitted).

PHA – 7(6)

Cuboid.

D239 – 6§4
Type of opening for cigarettes

Flip-top lid only.

TPPA 18(3)(b) and TPPR 2.1.1(3)

If the opening may be reclosed, then only flip-top lid and shoulder box.

SPTPR 4(4-6)

If the opening may be reclosed, then only flip-top lid and shoulder box.

PHC R. 3512-23

If the opening may be reclosed, then only flip-top lid and shoulder box.

PHA – 7(6)

If the opening may be reclosed, then only flip-top lid and shoulder box.

D239 – 6§4
Minimum Content

Cigarettes: 20.

Sale of Tobacco Act 2004 A 12

Roll-your-own: NA.

Cigarettes: 20.

SPTPR 4(8)

Roll-your-own: 30g.

SPTPR 8(4)

Cigarettes: 20.

Roll-your-own: 30g.

PHC L. 3512-14

Cigarettes: 20.

Public Health (Tobacco) Act, 2002– Sec 38(1)

Roll-your-own: 30g.

European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016 Reg 13(1)

Cigarettes: not less than 20 but no more than 25.

D239 – 15A§ (a)

Roll-your-own: no less than 30g but no more than 50g and the weight must be divisible by 10 with no remainder.

D239 – 15A§ (c)

Material for cigarette packs

Rigid cardboard

TPPA 18(2)(a)

Carton or soft material

SPTPR 4(2)

Carton or flexible material

PHC R. 3512-22.I

Carton or soft material

PHA – 7(6)

Carton or soft material

D239 - 6§4
Linings

Cigarettes: Silver foil with white paper backing, regular embossed dots permitted.

TPPA 18(3)(d) and TPPR 2.2.1(4)

Cigarettes: Silver foil with white paper backing, regular embossed dots permitted.

SPTPR sch2 ¶3(1)

Cigarettes: Silver foil with white paper backing, regular embossed dots permitted.

MDNP 3§2&3

Cigarettes: Silver foil with white paper backing.
Other products: white or the colour of the packaging material in its natural state.
Embossed dots or squares permitted

PHR - 16

Cigarettes: white or matte silver color. No decorative grooving, embossing or other decorative elements, except roughening used for non-decorative purposes.

D239 –6B7§7
Texture

No embellishments permitted inside or out.

TPPA 18(1)(a)

Must be smooth and flat, and must contain no ridges, embossing or other irregularities of shape or texture.

SPTPR sch2 ¶1(1)

Must be smooth and flat.

PHC R. 3512-22.III

No decorative ridges, embossing or other embellishments.

PHA – 7(1)(d)

No decorative grooving, embossing or other decorative elements.

D239 -6B7§7
Wrappers

Must be clear and transparent. Tear strip permitted. Single bar code permitted.

TPPA 22 and TPPR 2.3.1 and 2.3.5

Must be clear and transparent. Tear strip permitted. Single bar code permitted.

SPTPR sch2 ¶4 and sch4 ¶4

Must be clear and transparent. Tear strip permitted. Single bar code permitted.

PHC R. 3512-19 and MDNP 5§1

Must be transparent and uncolored. Black tear strip permitted.

PHA – 7(8)

Must be un-tinted and transparent. Tear strip permitted.

D239 – 6A§8
Sound and smell

Characteristic noises or scents prohibited.

TPPA 25

Characteristic sound and smell prohibited.

SPTPR 11

Characteristic sound and smell prohibited.

PHC R. 3512-20.I

Audio effects or scents that promote the product are prohibited.

PHA 14(a)

Scents that modify the smell of tobacco products are prohibited.

4A§2
Features designed to change after sale

Prohibited.

TPPA 24

Prohibited.

SPTPR 12

Prohibited.

PHC R. 3512-20.I

Prohibited.

PHA 14(b)

Likely prohibited. Packs may not contain any elements other than those specified in the Act.

6C§1(c)
Inserts, onserts and stickers

Prohibited.

TPPA 23

Prohibited (except for cigarette papers and filters in packs of roll-your-own).

SPTPR sch2 ¶2 and sch4 ¶2

Prohibited (except for cigarette papers and filters in packs of roll-your-own).

PHC R 3511-18.II and R. 3511-20.II

Prohibited.

PHA – 7(1)(f)

Not permitted.

D239 – 6B§3(d)
Barcodes

One permitted. Must be black and white and not form a picture.

TPPR 2.3.1(1)(d) and 2.3.5

One permitted. Must be black and white or Pantone 448C and white. Must not be on front and must not form a picture.

SPTPR sch1 ¶4 and sch3 ¶5

One permitted. Must be black and white or Pantone 448C and white. Must not be on front and must not form a picture.

PHC R 3511-17 and MDNP 1.b

One permitted. Must be black and white and not form a picture.

PHR - 14

One permitted.

D239 – 6B§11
The appearance of individual products

Cigarettes: White casing with white or imitation cork tip. Standardised small alphanumeric code permitted.

TPPR 3.1.1 and 3.1.2

Cigars: standardised band permitted around the circumference of cigar.

TPPR 3.2.1(1)and(2)

Cigarettes: White casing with white or imitation cork tip. Brand/variant name permitted next to tip in standard typeface.

SPTPR 5(2)-(5)

Cigarettes: White casing with white or imitation cork tip. Brand/variant name permitted next to tip in standard typeface.

MDNP 4§1-3

Cigarettes: White casing with white or imitation cork tip. Brand and variant name permitted next to tip in standard typeface.

PHA – 8(1)-2

Cigarettes: White casing with white or imitation cork tip. Brand and variant name permitted next to tip in standard typeface.

6C§(1) –(2)