LOCAL Tobacconist declares the plain packaging changes to cigarettes under the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 as ineffective on the slowing down of sales.
Daughter of Cronulla Tobacconist, Jacky Yabsley claims that her parents’ shop relies heavily on the sales of cigarettes. She said that their sales of cigarettes range from “50-200 packets daily” stating that purchases are well “over 100 packets” on the weekends – regarded as their busiest time. Miss Yabsley goes on to say, that the plain packaging will not affect regular smokers, but may have some small impact on casual or social smokers.
She said, “The gruesome images of the effects of smoking have been on the cigarette packaging for a while now, people just tend to turn the packet over. Smokers are becoming desensitized to these re-occurring images.” Miss Yabsley also said, that the main cause of deterring customers is the pricing of the product which she claims won’t happen again after the Carbon Tax.
Under the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011, cigarette companies have been forced to sell their cigarettes in logo-free, dark brown packaging from 1 December 2012. This legislation removes the companies branding of their product, and any form of marketing or promotion of the companies’ product. The President of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health, Professor Mike Daube, said the legislation was “the global tobacco industry’s worst defeat.”
Various cigarette companies believe the removal of the brand will have no effect on consumer behaviour and sales. Despite this, tobacco companies have given $5 million to ground the Alliance of Australian Retailers to fight the plain packaging legislation. Claiming the legislation infringes trademark and intellectual property laws.
Cancer Council Victoria CEO, Todd Harper said, “This world-first legislation has been upheld despite the tobacco industry’s best efforts to overturn it in a bid to recruit a new generation of smokers and future cancer sufferers,” in regards to the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 success.
Local store: Cronulla Tobacconist and Convenience Store.
All white everything: Cigarette display behind the counter.
‘Plain Jane’: Preview of plain packaged cigarettes.
Warning: ‘Smoking Kills’ sign above cigarette display.
