Dutch Government Opens Comment Period for Plain Packaging Proposal

JohnS · July 6

The Dutch Government has joined the push to introduce plain packaging tobacco products. The difference here is that they're being more practical about it, introducing a time period for citizens to submit their response to the proposal, and not legislating neutral bands on cigars, as plain packaging laws have not affected cigar sales worldwide in the same way that cigarettes have been impacted.

Dutch Government Opens Comment Period for Plain Packaging Proposal

July 3, 2025 - Charlie Minato

For years, the Netherlands has been working on introducing plain packaging for cigars, but first, the government will let people provide their thoughts on the proposal.

The Dutch government has said that the law is needed because cigars are enticing for young people and that fancy packaging is part of the reason why.

The proposal would:

Ban retailers from displaying open boxes in stores
Require the outer boxes to be covered in a sticker, in this specific color, with a health warning on it
Require tubes/tubos to be in a neutral color

image.jpeg.3efb07b66a8c5873e388f814e6d31223.jpeg

Notably, it doesn’t appear that it would require neutral bands as is the case in countries like Australia and Ireland.

“As niche and occasionally consumed products, cigars play no part in smoking initiation of young Dutch people with ever fewer adult connoisseurs consuming them,” said Paul Varakas, director general of the European Cigar Manufacturers Association (ECMA), in a statement. “During this period during which cigars have been excluded from the scope of plain packaging, there has been no observed increase in cigar consumption in the Netherlands or in other countries with plain packaging. In fact, in these markets, cigars have continued a long-term downward trend in consumption. For these reasons, ECMA considers the introduction of plain packaging for cigars in parallel with e-cigarettes to be completely inappropriate and unjustified.”

image.jpeg.522248b3d94b2f279e91a821a7e6e7b2.jpeg

An example of plain packaging in Ireland.

According to the ECMA, the proposal’s language would allow for non-compliant packaging to be imported for six months after the proposal’s effective date and retailers would have two years from the effective date to sell through the non-compliant packaging.

Those who are interested in providing a comment can do so here. The comment period closes on Aug. 13, 2025.

Source: https://halfwheel.com/dutch-government-opens-comment-period-for-plain-packaging-proposal/452758/