State Could Face Compensation Claim From Tobacco Companies

John Player has said that the State may be required to compensate tobacco companies if plain packaging legislation is enacted, 'as companies would be deprived of the right to use their valuable trade-marks'. Following yesterday's announcement, the tobacco manufacturer said in a statement that it will 'robustly defend' its 'legitimate commercial right to utilise its trade marks to differentiate its brands from those of its legitimate competitors'. “People start smoking due to peer pressure and social influences and not due to branding," a spokesperson for John Player said. "That is why plain packaging has not had any impact on smoking rates in Australia and it won’t in Ireland either." © 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Stephen Wynne-Jones