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Hong Kong will introduce standardised cigarette packaging beginning in March next year, with full enforcement scheduled for December. The Department of Health announced that the new rules will require all retail packs of cigarettes, long cigarette boxes and specified cigars to remove brand logos and advertising elements.
Under the updated legislation, only the brand and variant names will be allowed on packs, printed in a prescribed font on a plain brown background. Manufacturers will have until December to ensure their products comply with the new requirements.
Dr Manny Lam Man‑chung, head of the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, said the measure aims to reduce the appeal of tobacco products. He cited a 2023 study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong in which 79.8 percent of smokers surveyed reported that plain packaging made cigarettes less attractive.
Lam added that the new packaging will weaken brand effects, prevent consumers from underestimating health risks, and make graphic health warnings more prominent and effective. He noted that 27 countries and regions—including Australia, Canada and France—have already adopted standardised packaging.
The policy is part of Hong Kong’s broader effort to lower smoking rates.
Article and image source: scmp.com
