Kangaroo Pictures Are Used on British American Tobacco Cigarette Packages
Published on January 25th, 2012 00:00
Australia’s government has criticized British American Tobacco (BAT) for using the picture of a kangaroo on cigarette packages sold in Europe, increasing hostile actions ahead of a legal struggle over plain-packaging regulations.
According to Attorney-General Nicola Roxon, who conducted the action to implement laws demanding smoking products to be sold in plain packages, the use of the well-known Australian symbol was excessive. The picture of a kangaroo, as on the road signs cautioning of the animals in Australia, with the statement “An Australian Favorite” is placed in the packages of Winfield cigarettes sold in France. “Such a sly marketing tactic will soon disappear from Australia when all cigarettes will be sold only in plain packaging from December,” Roxon stated.
The largest tobacco companies as Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and BAT have started separate legal proceedings in the High Court against the new laws, stating that they violate their trademark rights. The first of its kind and the most severe legislation that takes effect this year is being closely observed by the governments examining similar laws introduced in Europe, Canada and New Zealand. “Australians do not welcome the use of their icons, our kangaroos shouldn’t be associated in any way with these addictive products,” stated Fiona Sharkie, representative of anti-smoking agency Quit.
British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) declared that it doesn’t want to comment on the French kangaroo cigarette pack, as it is made by other BAT Group company. “BATA can’t talk over cases that are recently before the High Court and we are worried that the attorney general has disregarded the same High Court protocol by commenting in the manner she has,” the company declared in a statement. Tobacco industry experts state that cigarette companies are concerned that plain packaging could expand to significant developing markets as Brazil, Russia and Indonesia and affect growth there. According to data in 2005, the World Health Organization has prompted countries to think about plain packaging, stating that more than 1 billion people are heavy smokers, 80 % of them leave in poor countries.
The Himalayan nation of Bhutan has completely prohibited the sale of cigarettes. The greatest tobacco export countries as Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Ukraine have cautioned they may also charge the laws under world trade regulations. Legal analysts have forecasted that both legal and WTO challenges will lose out as intellectual property rights conventions allow governments the right to adopt laws that can help to protect public health. Australia’s cigarette market produced total profits of about A$10 billion (S$13 billion) in 2009 in comparison to A$8.3 billion in 2008; however smoking has been in decrease. According to statistics, approximately 22 billion cigarettes are sold in the country annually.
