Belgium Reverses Course on Plain Packaging for Cigar Bands

[JohnS]

We had reported previously (in August, 2025) that Belgium had moved towards introducing plain packaging for their tobacco products...

A month later (in September 2025), we reported that Belgium was moving to ban smoking from terraces and cigar lounges from January 1st, 2027...

Well, it turns out that the move to cigar packaging in Belgium will be now exempt from plain packaging laws...(We'll see how their laws banning smoking on terraces and in cigar lounges goes down-the-track.)

Belgium Reverses Course on Plain Packaging for Cigar Bands

June 1, 2026 - Charlie Minato

Today, June 1, 2026, was supposed to be the introduction of Belgium’s new plain packaging rules for cigars.

Turns out, that will not be the case.

The Federal Public Service Health (FPS) has clarified that it will not consider the band of a cigar or cigarillo as a prohibited item. It’s part of a few changes that will allow cigar companies to use existing packaging in Belgium, a country that has been at the forefront of anti-tobacco regulations.

Full Article: https://halfwheel.com/belgium-reverses-course-on-plain-packaging-for-cigar-bands/472027/

[Li Bai]

Well, it's good news, kind of... They're still going for it with boxes, the other way around would have made more sense.

[BrightonCorgi]

A moment, just a moment of sanity. A marathon starts with the first step, right?

[Christophe]

21 hours ago, Li Bai said:

Well, it's good news, kind of... They're still going for it with boxes, the other way around would have made more sense.

I'd wager a guess that most people who smoke a cigar have never seen a box in Belgium. Remote sales, e.g. via internet are already prohibited and in my experience most sellers don't display boxes on account of the fact the majority of what they sell are singles.