New tobacco graphic health warnings

Graphic health warnings on tobacco products have been updated and expanded under the new Competition and Consumer (Tobacco) Information Standard 2011 (the Standard) which commenced on 1 January 2012.

The Standard updates the system of health warnings mandated through the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Information Standards) (Tobacco) Regulations 2004 (the 2004 Regulations).

Between 1 January 2012 and 30 November 2012 tobacco products may display the health warnings in either the Standard or the 2004 Regulations. However, tobacco products are required to display only the new health warnings from 1 December 2012 to coincide with the full introduction of plain packaging.

The Standard includes an increase in the size of graphic health warnings to cover at least 75 per cent of the front surface of most tobacco product packaging to convey a consistent public health message on the most visible surface of the package. The Standard maintains the size of 90 per cent of the back surface for cigarette packaging but requires an increase to 75 per cent of the back surface of most other tobacco products.

The policy underpinning the Standard has been informed by consumer research on graphic health warnings and plain packaging. This builds on the 2008 evaluation of the effectiveness of Australia’s graphic health warnings and a significant body of peer-reviewed research showing that larger health warnings, including graphic health warnings, have greater impact on consumers.

Prior to finalising the Standard, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission undertook three public consultations between September 2011 and December 2011.

The Tobacco Labelling (Graphic Health Warnings) Consultation Paper outlined the proposal for a new Tobacco Labelling Standard for graphic health warnings on tobacco products under the Australian Consumer Law and closed on 17 October 2011.

The second round: tobacco graphic health warnings consultation paper was released for public comment on 26 October 2011 and closed on 8 November 2011. The second round consultation paper consisted of the draft Competition and Consumer (Tobacco) Information Standard 2011.

A revised draft Information Standard was released for public consultation on 14 November 2011 and closed on 5 December 2011.

An example of a cigarette pack incorporating a new graphic health warning is:


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New graphic health warnings for cigarette packaging

The following representations are examples of how the images and warnings may appear on cigarette packaging.

The new information messages are:













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New graphic health warnings for cigar packaging

The following representations are examples of how the images and warnings may appear on cigar packaging. The Standard allows portrait and horizontal layout options for cigar packaging. These representations have been developed for the horizontal layout option.

 

 

All images are subject to Commonwealth copyright or used under licence.