What a combined health warning is
A combined health warning is a pack warning that joins a photograph with text. The GOV.UK packaging checklist describes it in those terms and says that a cigarette pack must carry one alongside stop-smoking information. The checklist is guidance for the United Kingdom market.
The European Commission explains that these warnings are tied to language. Packs must show them in the official language or languages of the country where they are sold. Products carrying combined health warnings must also carry a general warning and an information message.
How much of the pack they cover
The size rule is expressed as a share of the pack surface. The European Commission states that the warnings should cover 65% of the front and back of packages. This is the figure that applies to the two largest faces of a cigarette pack.
The GOV.UK checklist gives the same proportion for cigarette packs. It lists the photo and text warning as covering 65% of the front and back, together with stop-smoking information. It presents this as one of several mandatory elements on a compliant pack.
Where the general warning and information message go
The general warning and the information message are separate from the photo warnings, and the rules place them on the sides of the pack. For cigarette packets, the Directive puts the general warning on the bottom part of one lateral surface. The information message goes on the bottom part of the other lateral surface.
The GOV.UK checklist gives the wording used in Great Britain. It lists “Smoking kills – quit now” as the health warning and “Tobacco smoke contains over 70 substances known to cause cancer” as the information message. Each is shown as covering 50% of one side of the pack.
How warnings must be applied
The Directive also sets rules on how the warnings are printed and kept visible. They must be irremovably printed, indelible and fully visible. They must not be partly or fully hidden or interrupted by items such as tax stamps, price marks, security features or wrappers.
The Directive allows stickers only for some products. On packets of tobacco products other than cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco in pouches, warnings may be affixed by stickers if the stickers are irremovable. This leaves cigarette packs to carry their warnings as printed.
Other products and regional differences
The same requirements do not automatically cover every tobacco product. The Commission notes that EU countries may choose to apply them to cigars, cigarillos and pipe tobacco. The Directive likewise lets Member States exempt tobacco products for smoking other than cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco and waterpipe tobacco from the combined health warnings.
The GOV.UK checklist also notes a difference in picture sources within the United Kingdom. It states that products sold on the Northern Ireland market must feature pictures owned by the EU commission. Its mock-up for the Great Britain market uses pictures from the GB library.
Sources
- Directive 2014/40/EU, Title II Chapter II (labelling and packaging) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Health warnings (European Commission)
- Tobacco and herbal product packaging rules checklist (GOV.UK)