Neutral packaging in 2015
French smoking legislation will become stricter, the French government has decided. The most remarkable addition is that packaging will no longer contain the brands’ colours and logos. Only neutral packaging will be allowed in France.
Standardized packaging will be introduced: shape, size and colour will be identical for all, regardless of the brand. It will still contain the brand’s name, but those will have to adhere to specific fonts and font sizes. The horrific images and the clear warnings (like “smoking kills”) will gain visibility, some 65 % of the total packaging.
The law now has to be approved by the French parliament, a decision which will be taken in 2015. If it gets approved, France will become the first European country to emulate Australia’s example from 2012. It has been considered a successful law: 15.1 % of Australians (older than 14 years old) used to smoke in 2010, while only 12.8 % smoked in 2013.
