Ireland

Plain packaging is required for all tobacco products.

The law requires that one of 14 combined (text/picture) health warnings occupy 65% of the front and back surface of tobacco product packaging, and be located at the top edge of the package. The text of the combined health warning must be in English and Irish language. The warning must include quit line information and be surrounded by a 1mm black border, which is included in the 65% area reserved for the warning. Each of the 14 warnings should be displayed in equal numbers on each brand of tobacco products. There are three sets of 14 warnings, which are rotated annually from May to May each year.

In addition, one general warning (“Smoking Kills”) must occupy 50% of one lateral surface of the package and one informational warning (“Tobacco smoke contains over 70 substances known to cause cancer”) must occupy 50% of the other lateral surface.

For single cigars and cigarillos, a general warning (“Smoking Kills”) with quit line information must occupy 32% of the most visible surface, and the text (text only) of one of the 14 authorized combined warnings must occupy 45% of the second most visible surface.

The law meets FCTC Art. 11 and aligns with the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines with respect to the size, content, location, and rotation of health warnings on smoked tobacco products. To more fully align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, the drafters of the law should consider increasing the size of the warning on single cigars and cigarillos to at least 50% of the most visible surfaces.

Plain packaging is required for all tobacco products.

“Tobacco for oral use” may not be placed on the market in Ireland. (See Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2004, Sec. 9, amending PHA 2002, Sec. 38 and EU Regulations 2016, Sec. 22). However, chewing tobacco is permitted to be sold.

Chewing tobacco products must display the following text warning occupying 32% of the two largest surfaces of the package: “Déanann an táirge tobac seo dochar do do shláinte agus is táirge andúile é. This tobacco product damages your health and is addictive.”

To align with FCTC Art. 11 and the FCTC Art. 11 Guidelines, the regulations should require multiple warnings for smokeless tobacco products that are rotated. These warnings should occupy at least 50% of both principal display areas and include images.