Cigarettes Plain Packaging Might Stop Teens From Taking Up The Habit

Published on Wednesday, Mar 13 2013

Studies have claimed that new UK legislation to make plain packaging for cigarettes compulsory will potentially reduce the amount of teenagers who take up the habit and help existing young smokers quit.

The new packaging will have the brand in a standard font and the health warnings featuring prominently on the front. The rest of the packaging will be plain.

Teenagers in Bristol were asked to look at images of the packets on a computer screen and to try and remember what they saw; eye tracking technology was used to see where they looked. The study showed that teens who smoked infrequently or not at all were more likely to look at the more prominent health warning than the teens who were already frequent smokers.

These participants in particular spent more time looking at the health warnings on the plain packets than they had on the ordinary branded ones.

This would seem to suggest that the new legislation could have a positive effect on teen smokers who are infrequent or undecided.

As we know, packaging is very important in influencing that final decision to add a product to your shopping basket and purchase; something that this recent study has shown.

It’s well known that appearance of packaging is very important and also how the product is encased within the packaging. For example, Heinz brought out their hugely successful snap pots to target consumers who were put off by eating half a can of beans and having to pour the rest out of the tin into a bowl to keep in the fridge until next time.

Wessex Packaging are experts in the manufacturing and design of packaging for products in a wide range of sectors. Find out more about products such as corrugated cardboard and Neopolen foam packaging by calling us on (01722) 412333.  

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