PLAIN PACKAGING LEAVES BAD TASTE

A University of Newcastle study has found long-term smokers find the taste of plain packaged cigarettes to be worse than when they were branded.

The study of 51 smokers also found it’s now harder to differentiate between the brand names.

One of the studies author’s, Ashleigh Guillaumier says the study highlights the importance of branding.

“They have spent a lot of time building up their branding and know how influential it is on people’s perceptions and experience
of the product,” she said.

Researchers investigated the impact of one colour packets by conducting group discussions with smokers before and after mandatory plain packaging was implemented in 2012.

Those involved in the study says it lends support to plain packaging being introduced around the world.