Act now to save the cigar industry
Unless you act now, cigars in the UK will become a thing of the past.
The UK Government’s proposed ‘Generational Smoking Ban’ is being extended to require that cigars are sold in plain packaging – like cigarettes or rolling tobacco. This will have catastrophic consequences for the retail cigar sector. Not in generations, but right now.
I’m a CIGAR SMOKER
This page is for cigar retailers. Find out what the proposal means for the cigars you enjoy and how to make your voice heard, by visiting the savecigars website NOW.
I’m a CIGAR RETAILER
READ ON. This page provides retailer campaign resources, guidance on how you can respond to the Government’s consultation process, and materials to help you in mobilising and informing your customers.
What’s this all about?
As you may know, the UK Government’s much-publicised ‘Generational Smoking Ban’ is designed to prevent the adoption of smoking by young people. A newly-proposed aspect of this legislation will require that cigars are sold in plain packaging. This is likely to destroy the retail cigar sector as we know it.
You have until October 2nd 2026 to have your say.
Why is this plain madness?
CIGARS WILL VANISH FROM SHOPS
Overseas manufacturers of handrolled cigars will not package their cigars differently just for the UK market, which accounts for only 5% of their global business. They’ll simply stop supplying the UK.
YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE FAR LESS CHOICE
If UK distributors were to package imported cigars especially for the UK, they would only package the best selling brands, as producing lots of different sizes of box for all the different brands would be far too expensive. Retailers that once stocked hundreds of brands would be able to sell just a handful.
COUNTERFEIT CIGARS WILL BECOME THE NORM
Without the authenticity stickers and other markings on a box, the prevalence of counterfeit cigars will go through the roof because nobody will be able to tell which handmade cigars are genuine, where they are really from, or when they were made. Assessing the value of a box of cigars would become a dangerous gamble.
In other words, your business is likely to be hit hard if this legislation goes unchallenged.
This won’t take a generation, it will be immediate
You need to act now
It is vital that you:
1. Complete the Government’s consultation questionnaire.
2. Encourage your customers to visit the savecigars website for further information and details on how they can respond to the consultation as well.
The rest of this page provides assistance in going about these tasks.
1. Respond to the consultation
Here’s what you need to do in order to voice your opinions about plain packaging for cigars:
Answer the multiple choice consultation questions
— Download our guidance notes on how to answer the questions
(Word doc).
It should only take you 5-10 minutes to complete the questionnaire, or a little longer if you choose to upload an optional summary document as well (see below).
Upload your own summary document (optional)
Having completed the questionnaire, there is the option to upload a further document to elaborate on your own situation and how the new legislation is likely to affect your business.
— Download our notes to help you write a summary document
(Word doc).
2. Get your customers involved
Download the Resource Pack below (compressed Zip folder), then make every effort to get your customers to voice their views:
The Resource Pack contains:
- A4 Retail Awareness Poster, printable or emailable (PDF)
- A5 Flyer, printable or emailable (PDF)
- QR Code image, to direct customers to the savecigars website (JPEG)
- A6 double-sided Postcard artwork, printable or emailable (PDF)
- Double-sided 88x55mm Business Card artwork, printable (PDF)
- Campaign identifier image, which can serve as an email footer (JPEG)
- Social media images for you to post on your channels (PNGs)
- Website banners for you to add to the Home page of your website (JPEGs, 4 different sizes/shapes)
Encourage your customers to visit the savecigars website for more information
— Email them and tell them their help is needed, attaching the A4 Retail Awareness poster or the A5 Flyer.
— Direct them to www.savecigars.co.uk for further information and details of how to complete the Government’s consultation questionnaire.
Put the A4 Retail Awareness poster up in your store
— You will find the A4 Poster in the Resource Pack.
— Print it and put it up in a visible location close to your cigars.
Get some Business Cards printed to hand to your customers
— You will find the Business Card artwork in the Resource Pack.
— Print some so you can hand them to customers who want to go straight to the Government’s Consultation questionnaire (without visiting the savecigars website). Keep them in your pocket or near the cigars in your store.
Add the QR code to your customer communications
— The QR Code can be added to your communications to customers. It will take them straight to the savecigars website where they will find further information and details of how to complete the consultation questionnaire.
Add the Campaign Identifier image to your emails
— The Campaign Identifier image can be added as an email footer so that all your customers are made aware of this issue.
— You might also wish to add the QR code to your email footer, which will take them to the savecigars website.
Post on your social media channels
— You will find a selection of prepared social media images within the Resource Pack.
— Spread the word on your own social media accounts to encourage customers to visit the savecigars website and respond to the Government’s consultation.
Add a banner to your website
— You will find a selection of website banners in the Resource Pack.
— There are four different sizes/shapes so there ought to be one suitable for your website.
— Add a link from the banner to the savecigars.co.uk website.
Also available…
Roller banners for events or instore
We have created some high impact roller banners, and have several available to borrow. Email David Worsfold at secretary@aits.co.uk if you would like to borrow one or two.
Difficulty printing or using digital artworks?
Physical resources could be available for you
We have printed a number of the items in the Resource Pack to help retailers who might have difficulty in printing items themselves. Email David Worsfold at secretary@aits.co.uk to find out what printed resources may be available to you.
Watch this space
We will be updating this page with more downloads and more information in due course. Keep checking back and downloading the Resource Pack to ensure you have the latest assets.
It is also worth checking the savecigars website to check for the latest updates.
For your reference
For your reference, the link to the Government’s consultation questionnaire is:
https://consultations.dhsc.gov.uk/tobacco-and-vapes-packaging-appearance-and-display