It is coming here this year - also no logos, just the brand name.

I don't really see the point. It's not like there's exciting branding on them to attract people now.

A wily cigarette company would start selling branded cases, and see these brandless packets as refills.

It's not so much exciting as readily identifiable. I've never smoked but I suspect I could name a few of the brands just from the packaging colours.

Counterfeiting groups eill be laughing all the way to the bank. Thousands will lose their jobs and it won't achieve the aim

if it doesn't achieve it's aim, how will thousands lose their jobs?

I think he means it will be harder to tell fakes from real cigs.

Do smokers really care that much if they're smoking fake or real brands?

If you are mandated to have 1 sku with no differentiation apart from the name (and what is inside) you won't need as many factories thus not as many staff. Paper, ink suppliers and other ancillary industries will also be affected as the amount required drops.
Will it cause a drop in the amount of people smoke.. almost certainly not. Will it cause a drop in revenue to the tax authorities.. absolutely!
Will it allow some smarmy politician to pretend they have done something.. of course.

When I smoked (no cigs for 4 months so far!) I prefered the lucky strike teppic brand for its flavour and I could tell the difference between quite a few brands.
As for most smokers caring if they smoked real or faked I don't know but I did

Well, you do mostly need the same number of people, if you're still making as many cigarettes. The only thing you're going to need less of is the people who design the packaging.

if you are making and selling less cigarettes then yes, you'll need less people making cigarettes. And that's unlucky for the specific people. But I'll take less people dying horrible deaths as over-riding their misfortune, personally.


There's quite a lot of that in it I suspect yes.

It worked in Australia.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c4016952-0d4a-11e4-bcb2-00144feabdc0.html

I tried a cigarette at the end of January, after two years of cold turkey.

It was vile.

I was gutted.

My visions of enjoying the occasional ciggie went up in smoke or, more accurately, down the drain.

I'd say that's a mixed message.
Plus illicit trade is up 25% and average cost is down. A total win then for a policy that doesn't address the problem.
The data also doesnt support that position that plain packaging is working. Its far too soon