99call Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Personally I understand the reasons why they slap ugly stickers on boxes, I wish they wouldn't do it, but I get it My question is this. By placing stickers over the warranty seals etc, are they actually affecting the customers rights to legitimise the product they are buying?, and secondary market value? Their stickers can be just as big, but must critically avoid all paperwork that are key to ensuring you are buying a legitimate product. For example whats the point of a water mark, or a micro printed serial number, if you can actually use them. The image attached illustrates how the sticker prevents the buyer from assessing at least three of the security features of the packaging. Is there any legality in suggesting they are breaching the buyers rights? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD Puffer Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I'm curious to know if the adhesive qualities are written into the law. Must they use an adhesive glue that makes it impossible to remove the stickers? Can they not use a removable-friendly adhesive that are found on all kinds of finished goods that can be cleanly peeled off? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
multi-useless Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Even if the stickers violate some sort of consumer protection law, do we really expect that the people who put those stickers there, care one bit about your rights? Interesting topic though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99call Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 2 minutes ago, MD Puffer said: I'm curious to know if the adhesive qualities are written into the law. Must they use an adhesive glue that makes it impossible to remove the stickers? Can they not use a removable-friendly adhesive that are found on all kinds of finished goods that can be cleanly peeled off? Yep I can agree with this. Even if they want to use the super gummy stuff on the timber/unaffected dress box paper, thats fine, as 10mins with a hair dryer and your fine, but to create a situation whereby the buyer cannot access the security features of a box, surely that has to against some sort of consumer rights legislation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derboesekoenig Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I'll have to look this up again, but different countries have different requirements. I believe the stickers must cover a certain % of the actual box for the retailer to sell it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99call Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 1 minute ago, multi-useless said: expect In a way it's nothing to do with what they "expect", it's whats legal. I get what you're saying, but in this situation, both parties can be catered for. I.e that can plaster the box with all sorts of gooey crap, as long as they do not disable the buyers ability to know what they are buying is real. For example, on cigarette packets bar-codes are always visible (regardless of the big health warnings). If counterfeiting on Cuban Cigars are deemed to have such an issue, as they require 5-7 security features, surely they have to be accessed? Again, both parties can be satisfied, but currently I think they doing something that is against the law 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99call Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 5 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said: I'll have to look this up again, but different countries have different requirements. I believe the stickers must cover a certain % of the actual box for the retailer to sell it. Yep I've heard this, it's sad (or lazy) that they cannot fill their 'coverage quota' by using side stickers, in addition to smaller top stickers, but critically ones which do not render the water mark/micro printing to be useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foursite12 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Just shooting from the hip here, but is there any “consumer rights legislation” that requires the Cuban security features to be on the box and visible, other than those packaging regs promulgated by Cuba itself? I would think the regulations covering the boxing of cigars in Cuba are trumped by the health regulations in another country where those boxes are sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corylax18 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 3 hours ago, 99call said: customers rights buyers rights? Hahaha. When did tobacco consumers get their rights back? Plain packaging has a much larger affect on the authentication features than health stickers. Plain packaging is a far greater infringement of the producer and retailers tights than the consumers. Cuba has health sticker requirements for their boxes, but the stickers are not huge and they don't have nasty photos on them. Gas stations aren't required to be covered in photos of dead birds covered in oil. Alcohol bottles aren't required to display photos of guys beating up their wives. Why is tobacco different? I don't know, but it is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElJavi76 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 The European countries are far more egregious with this than Mexico for example. They've got some pretty gory images on there too. Are they hoping we'll see the stickers and put the box down? Waste of time, money, and horses. That glue is so strong it's nearly impossible to remove the stickers. The price of regionals is far more prohibitive than any stickers they might use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 There are no trademark or consumer rights breached. The WTO ruling took care of the tobacco companies appeal. invest in a hairdryer, your preferred glue remover and a little patience. You will be sweet. I have yet to see any sticker not be able to be removed successfully using those three steps 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99call Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 5 minutes ago, El Presidente said: invest in a hairdryer, your preferred glue remover and a little patience. You will be sweet. I have yet to see any sticker not be able to be removed successfully using those three steps Yeah, I am becoming a dab hand, but they only thing that seems impossible is not damaging the foils and micro print on the warranty seals. I guess my original point was, it is actually possible to cover 90% of box boxes with this mess, without having to stick on the habanos sticker, or warranty seal. Effectively both parties could be happy with a little bit of re-designing of the health stickers, and where they go..................but yes, I know they care not a jot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 21 hours ago, 99call said: Yeah, I am becoming a dab hand, but they only thing that seems impossible is not damaging the foils and micro print on the warranty seals. I guess my original point was, it is actually possible to cover 90% of box boxes with this mess, without having to stick on the habanos sticker, or warranty seal. Effectively both parties could be happy with a little bit of re-designing of the health stickers, and where they go..................but yes, I know they care not a jot The distributors have the stickers applied. With a little bit of effort, pull together a few key consumers from that region, have them pull together a few more and then have a group spokesman approach the distributor with the request to move the stickers on future boxes. Treat is as a project. Gather your resources, formulate a plan, issue tasks and enact. You may be surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99call Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 1 minute ago, El Presidente said: The distributors have the stickers applied. With a little bit of effort, pull together a few key consumers from that region, have them pull together a few more and then have a group spokesman approach the distributor with the request to move the stickers on future boxes. Treat is as a project. Gather your resources, formulate a plan, issue tasks and enact. You may be surprised. You/re right, nobody likes a winger, and when, if I really cared, I would at least write a letter. Just a passing comment really to say, it seems a shame, that it's possible for them to do their job, without perminently effected the object. In short everyone could be happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugu Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 3 hours ago, 99call said: In short everyone could be happy Problem is - that's not the idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainQuintero Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 My memory might be misfiring but I seem to remember it being part of the appeals/court papers that the tobacco companies served during the consultation phase/legal challenges. Something about damaging a product image or copyright etc but it was quashed in order to stop 13 year olds getting addicted to double coronas behind the bike sheds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
multi-useless Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 33 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said: My memory might be misfiring but I seem to remember it being part of the appeals/court papers that the tobacco companies served during the consultation phase/legal challenges. Something about damaging a product image or copyright etc but it was quashed in order to stop 13 year olds getting addicted to double coronas behind the bike sheds If I may ask, where did this happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 1 hour ago, multi-useless said: If I may ask, where did this happen? World trade Organisation ruling in 2018. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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