Plain Packaged Cigarettes: Is it a charter for counterfeiters ?

[Agent Orange]

The liveried packaging is more difficult because some of it is silvered, some of it gold, and there are around 200 different designs. It's much easier and cheaper to copy one design, and 'get it right'.

 

Clearly not, as you point out they are already producing passable packaging.

[PeteMorris]

I am no expert, but I guess it has a lot to do with marketing. If you are not allowed to market your product, how are people going to be attracted to it?

 

It's already 'under the counter'....It's like if there were suddenly a downer on milk, and they had to not have it on general display (as with fags now), people will still buy it. So then they're required to remove the labelling too. People will still buy it, except they won't know where it's come from!

[alchresearch]

I am no expert, but I guess it has a lot to do with marketing. If you are not allowed to market your product, how are people going to be attracted to it?

 

When I was younger if you wanted to look "cool", the brand to choose was Marlboro, with a metal Zippo lighter. Nobody looked cool with a pack of Royals and a bic disposable!

[PeteMorris]

Clearly not, as you point out they are already producing passable packaging.

 

Oh dear. With respect, I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree.

 

Let me have one last go.

 

Ok...There are cheap ciggies, and there are the more expensive ones. Some are retailed at around £6 a packet, some are retailed at close to £8 a packet.

 

If the packaging is to be the same, then it follows (if I were a counterfeiter) that I would want to make mine look like the more expensive ones (higher profit). The point is, I don't have to make them 'look like' anything, cos the packaging is the same! Ergo, it's easier to do. Therefore the incidence will be much more than it is now!

[Agent Orange]

When I was younger if you wanted to look "cool", the brand to choose was Marlboro, with a metal Zippo lighter. Nobody looked cool with a pack of Royals and a bic disposable!

 

Good thing about plain packaging. They might want Marlboro but will end up with Berkly Bombers

[Agent Orange]

Oh dear. With respect, I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree.

 

Let me have one last go.

 

Ok...There are cheap ciggies, and there are the more expensive ones. Some are retailed at around £6 a packet, some are retailed at close to £8 a packet.

 

If the packaging is to be the same, then it follows (if I were a counterfeiter) that I would want to make mine look like the more expensive ones (higher profit). The point is, I don't have to make them 'look like' anything, cos the packaging is the same! Ergo, it's easier to do. Therefore the incidence will be much more than it is now!

 

That's the thing with opinions

 

I don't know what they have planned for the pricing of cigarettes, as they do vary (as you stated) in price, therefore I cannot give you my thoughts.

[PeteMorris]

Good thing about plain packaging. They might want Marlboro but will end up with Berkly Bombers

 

Or camel dung, or god knows what else!

[PeteMorris]

That's the thing with opinions

 

I don't know what they have planned for the pricing of cigarettes, as they do vary (as you stated) in price, therefore I cannot give you my thoughts.

 

I don't suppose the pricing of them will change to any great degree as far as the cheaper and more expensive ones go. One thing is for certain. The government will continually be 'loading' the duty on them relentlessly.

 

What they (the gov) don't seem to realise, is that punitive duty on cigarettes only achieves an increase in counterfeit and smuggled ciggies. The more expensive they make them, the more criminals will see it as being a worthwhile target for forgeries and smuggling.

[stereolab]

Yes, as I said in an earlier post, I have seen the Australian version.

 

Bogus argument? Why is it bogus? I've expressed 'my' opinion. How can that be bogus? My opinion is just as valid as yours, yet apparently my argument is 'bogus'?

 

Of course they will be easier to copy. There's no variation in the design.

 

I meant no offence - the reason I say its is bogus is for these reasons

 

- The packages are not plain - if anything they appear to be more complex than the current designs

- Even if the printing is right, there are still the usual issues with fakes- poor quality card board, badly put together, spelling mistakes - why would any of this change just because the design changed

- The industry spends millions each year on branding - they don't do this to protect people from fakes - they do it to attract new smokers

[PeteMorris]

I meant no offence - the reason I say its is bogus is for these reasons

 

- The packages are not plain - if anything they appear to be more complex than the current designs

- Even if the printing is right, there are still the usual issues with fakes- poor quality card board, badly put together, spelling mistakes - why would any of this change just because the design changed

- The industry spends millions each year on branding - they don't do this to protect people from fakes - they do it to attract new smokers

 

I didn't take offence, I'm used to those with opposing opinions to mine on here.

 

To address your first point: Even if the design is more complex, there's only one design to get right. See post No 74

 

Your second point: I agree that even if the packaging is substandard, as in badly put together etc... this may well still happen, but again I would refer you to my post No 74, for the reasons the incidence will be higher.

 

Your third point: Again I concede that yes they do spend millions on 'branding', but I'm not sure it's to attract new smokers, or even if it is, that it actually works. Personally, I don't care two hoots about the branding. For me it's price and quality, they could be wrapped in a paper bag, and as long as they are genuine, then I'm happy. Also, I've never heard a child say...Oooooh....I like the logo on that packet of fags, or that packet looks pretty, I want to smoke!....I can't really speak for young people who take up smoking these days on the reasons why, but I would surmise (a guess if you like), that it's nothing to do with an attractive looking fag packet.