Big shops and supermarkets in Wales are now banned from displaying tobacco products under a new law which came into force in England earlier this year. The ban in Wales was announced just as international news reported that branding is to be removed from tobacco products altogether in Australia, and replaced with graphic images and health warnings.

In England and Wales, businesses breaking the law on tobacco displays could be fined up to £5,000 or jailed for up to two years. Unbranded price lists will be displayed at tills. Illustrated lists will be available upon request following an ID check. The ban will include smaller shops and specialist tobacconists in April 2015.

Australia is the first country to remove branding from all tobacco products and the UK Government has been consulting over whether to follow suit in attempts to further reduce the number of people who smoke and take up smoking. The British Dental Health Foundation has lobbied for plain packaging for a number of years and welcomed the news of Australia 'setting a precedent'.