On 20 May 2016 the new law stating that tobacco companies must sell cigarettes with the branding on the packaging restricted to a standard size, font and colour came into effect.

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All packs must contain at least 20 cigarettes to ensure they are big enough for health warnings to cover 65% of the front and back. In the UK, all packs must be uniformly olive green coloured with large images highlighting the damaging effects of smoking.

Menthol cigarettes will now be phased out ahead of a total ban in 2020.

It is hoped the new law will reduce the number of smokers across the EU by 2.4 million and will save the NHS an estimated £2.7 billion and the wider British economy a further £2.5 billion in sick leave and lost productivity, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).