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Covert Campaign Exposed In May 2011 British American Tobacco admitted funding a high profile campaign by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN), an industry group, against a government ban on cigarette displays in shops.1 The NFRN claimed that the ban would put thousands of small shopkeepers out of business. In a letter to Labour…

Leaked documents from Philip Morris International (PMI) reveal the extent of a multi-million Euro, three-pronged, lobbying campaign to undermine the EU Tobacco Products Directive Revision. The campaign targeted Members of the European Parliament, influential members of the European Commission as well as national governments at the European Council. 5 For more on the EU’s Tobacco…

In 2013 leaked internal tobacco industry documents, including powerpoints, revealed the extent of Philip Morris International‘s (PMI) anti-Plain Packaging campaign in the UK during the previous year. The leaked documents cover the crucial time leading up to, and during, a public consultation run by the British Government as to whether to introduce the public health measure. Whilst leaked…

Illicit Trade Headlines Background In 2013, leaked documents from Philip Morris International (PMI) revealed the extent of the tobacco company’s public relations and lobbying campaign to derail the government’s proposals and public consultation on plain packaging. See below for links to other pages on the leaked documents. The campaign used a variety of arguments against plain packaging, one of…

Leaked documents from Philip Morris International (PMI) reveal the extent of a multifaceted public relations campaign against Plain Packaging in the UK, including a highly detailed media campaign and detailed political analysis of the best ways to prevent the implementation of the policy. See below for links to other pages on the leaked PM documents. Political Mapping…

A series of leaked documents from Philip Morris International (PMI) have revealed that, as part of its multi-faceted campaigns against the regulation of its industry, the tobacco giant has created and underwritten retailer “grassroots” movements. The use of ‘independent’ voices is a third party strategy used by tobacco companies in an attempt to add weight to their…

PLCM Consultants was a company run by Peter Middleton, a former sales and marketing manager who previously worked for Imperial Tobacco.42 The consultancy was dissolved in November 2013.43 Relationship with the Tobacco Industry PLCM Consultants worked for the tobacco industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s.44 Middleton regularly attended meetings held by…

Image 1. Screen grab of trade magazine advert for Peter Stuyvesant Australia September 2012.48 Image 2. Screen grab of Peter Stuyvesant packaging Australia September 2012.49On the 1 December 2012, plain packaging was introduced in Australia. Cigarettes are be required to be sold in olive green packaging with large pictorial health warnings and brand names appearing in…

Background Before the introduction of plain packaging in Australia in December 2012, the tobacco industry and its consultants repeatedly argued that the introduction of the public health measure would lead to an increase in illicit tobacco, including counterfeited plain packs, in the country. For more see: Australia: Smuggling and Illicit Trade Threats Australia: Campaigning Websites Smuggling…

Background In the UK, tobacco companies Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) have publicised their arguments against plain packaging using: their corporate websites; political advertising campaigns; submissions to the two UK Consultations on plain packaging; third-party voices. The plain packaging of tobacco products was first suggested in…