Soap Box - Should Tobacco Packaging be Plain White?

Source from:  packagingnews.co.uk, 08 October 2008 10/09/2008

Tobacco packaging is the subject of our Soap Box this week following the publication of the Beyond Smoking Kills report by anti-smoking pressure group Ash. According to the report plain tobacco packs could "help remove misconceptions about product safety" caused by the use of colour and clever working on packs. For instance, research from the University of Nottingham, published in the report, showed that packs displaying the words "smooth" and "gold" were considered "lower tar and lower health risk" than regular packs. While lighter colours gave consumers a similar impression that packs were less harmful or easier to quit. We want to know what you think. Should all tobacco packaging be plain white? Are we underestimating consumers' ability to read design? Do you think it would make a difference? Are the graphic images being printed on packs from this month enough of a deterrent? Log onto packagingnews.co.uk here to read the original story and tell us what you think. Enditem