Most kids receive their first cigarettes from friends. There is no brand choice - the choice is simply to smoke or not to smoke. Therefore, in the uptake process, brand and package are very minor components. This means that changing the package will not have any major effect on the decision(s) to smoke or not to smoke.
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In 1995, the Canadian Government commissioned an Expert Panel to evaluate the possible impact of plain packaging of tobacco products. In the national survey of teens at the heart of the Panel study, most respondents said that plain packaging will not reduce consumption or increase cessation among youth smokers:
Minimal impact
A close examination of these responses suggests that effects [of plain packaging] will be more marginal than large...
It is clear that in most first trials there are little package, brand or brand promotion elements. Most kids receive their first cigarettes from friends. There is no brand choice - the choice is simply to smoke or not to smoke. Therefore, in the uptake process brand and package are very minor components. This means that changing the package will not have any major effect on the decision(s) to smoke or not to smoke." (emphasis added)
Source: Expert Panel Report for Health Canada, When Packages Can't Speak: Possible impacts of plain and generic packaging of tobacco products, March 1995, pages 76, 184 - excerpt
Driving consumption towards low price products
Plain packaging for cigarettes will inevitably lead to increased price competition which in turn will lead to increased low price cigarettes. Plain packaging will also facilitate the market entry of generic, low-priced tobacco products. These consequences bear the substantial risk of actually leading to increased consumption of tobacco products.
“Were products to be in plain packaging, essentially markets would be made generic, which means everybody would be competing on price. There would be no incentives for companies to invest in quality and there is also a risk that it might actually increase illicit trade.” John Noble, British Brands Group, November 2010
“Contraband cigarettes are regularly sold in clear plastic bags…. Their lower prices make them especially attractive to youth.” Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, Update, December 2009.
Also, in other consumer goods industries, many commodities are often sold without branding, for instance, staple food, frozen meat, and gasoline, to only name a few. There is no suggestion that consumers purchase less of these commodities when they are unbranded; but they are, of course, more sensitive to price.
A. (PMIMSA) is opposed to legislat
http://www.plain-packaging.com/Templates...dence.aspx