The Government's updated and expanded graphic health warnings for tobacco packaging commence tomorrow, 1 January 2012. The Competition and Consumer (Tobacco) Information Standard 2011 (Standard) updates and expands the current graphic health warnings which are required to be displayed on tobacco packaging.
"The Standard provides consumers with updated and more prominent health warnings about the health effects of tobacco use and incorporates both graphic and text warnings," said the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, David Bradbury.
Between 1 January 2012 and 30 November 2012, tobacco products that are subject to the graphic health warnings requirements under the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Information Standards (Tobacco) Regulations 2004, can either continue to comply with those requirements or they can comply with the updated requirements under the Standard.
From 1 December 2012, all tobacco products supplied in Australia in retail packaging will be required to display the updated health warnings in the Standard.
"The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will publish a supplier's guide to assist industry to comply with the updated requirements," Mr Bradbury said.
Further information about graphic health warnings for tobacco products is available on the Product Safety Australia website at www.productsafety.gov.au.
31 December 2011