Economy
Hungary puts off plain cigarette packaging by 2.5 years
According to the new rules, plain cigarette packets will not be mandatory until 31 December 2021, while the original deadline was 20 May 2019. The Alliance of Hungarian Tobacco Retailers (tobacco shop owners) commented that “this gives a fighting chance for the domestic tobacco retailing market for further stabilisation."
The uniform packaging of tobacco products had been put on the cabinet’s agenda more than three years ago.
János Lázár, then minister leading the Prime Minister’s Office, announced in June 2015 that the cabinet wants uniform packets for cigarettes that may not brandish any advertisement bar the brand name.
Lázár, who has been appointed the PM’s commissioner in charge of "the protection of non-smokers" in August, told a conference organised by Tobacco Hungary on 18 October this year that those born after 1 January 2020 should not be able to buy tobacco products ever, even after they turn 18. This would practically mean a smoking ban in Hungary. He also reminded that 7.5 billion cigarettes were smoked in Hungry this year alone.About 30% of the population smoke in Hungary, according to European Commission and World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
The uniform packaging of tobacco products had been put on the cabinet’s agenda more than three years ago.
János Lázár, then minister leading the Prime Minister’s Office, announced in June 2015 that the cabinet wants uniform packets for cigarettes that may not brandish any advertisement bar the brand name.
Lázár, who has been appointed the PM’s commissioner in charge of "the protection of non-smokers" in August, told a conference organised by Tobacco Hungary on 18 October this year that those born after 1 January 2020 should not be able to buy tobacco products ever, even after they turn 18. This would practically mean a smoking ban in Hungary. He also reminded that 7.5 billion cigarettes were smoked in Hungry this year alone.About 30% of the population smoke in Hungary, according to European Commission and World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
