The new report has been published in the large Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews . The aim of the study was to examine what we know so far about the effects of standardized, advertising-free tobacco packaging – a measure that is recommended, among other things, in the international tobacco control convention.

Australia was the first country in the world to introduce standardised, advertising-free tobacco packaging in December 2012. France became the second country in the world to introduce such a law in January 2017. Several other countries are in the process of implementing the same measure. Ireland, Hungary, Slovenia and Norway are in the process of doing so, and in May the UK’s law on standardised, advertising-free cigarette packages (“plain packs”) will come into full force. According to the conclusions of the Cochrane analysis, this change in the law in the UK could lead to 300,000 fewer Britons smoking in a year.

In their review, the researchers found a total of 51 studies that in some way dealt with the effects of standardized, advertising-free cigarette packages. However, only a few of the studies dealt with the effects on tobacco consumption. In a large study in Australia with 700,000 participants, smoking decreased by 0,5 percent the year after its introduction. Four other studies examined whether there was any effect on the number of cigarettes that smokers smoked. The results were mixed, with a couple of studies showing no reduction, and in a couple of others, smokers smoked fewer cigarettes when the packages changed.

A couple more studies found that attempts to quit smoking increased when the new law came into effect in Australia.

The authors of the Cochrane report point out that during the period covered by their analysis, only Australia had standardized, advertising-free packaging. Therefore, only cautious conclusions can be drawn from the research. By continuing to follow developments in more countries that implement the measure, knowledge will become more certain.