New Zealand: Plain Tobacco Packaging Could Set Unintended Precedent

Source from:  Yahoo! New Zealand News 02/21/2013

One of the submitters against plain packaging of cigarettes is worried the decision will set a precedent.

The Government is going ahead with the move, but the plain packages won't be in shops until Australia has overcome its legal battles with the same move.

Chief executive of the Association of New Zealand Advertisers, Lindsay Mouat, says if the Government can step in to legislate over cigarettes, it could be pushed into other areas too.

"Some may take this as an opportunity to seek plain packaging in other sectors, such as alcohol, fast food, carbonated beverages and the like."

Lindsay Mouat says plain packaging means brands lose their identity.

"It limits the opportunity for those brands to introduce new products, products that may be considered better for you.

"In actual fact, it has some unintended consequences of reducing choice for consumers."

Opposition leader David Shearer supports the policy, and does not believe it is vulnerable to the intellectual property arguments being mounted by tobacco companies.

"If they do, we'll take them on.

"The most important thing is that our population stays as healthy as they possibly can." Enditem