Member Article

Bradford cigarette packaging companies successfully lobby European Parliament

Bradford packaging producers including Weidenhammer UK and Chesapeake, who employ 250 people in the city, have lobbied Europe against the introduction of severe restrictions on packaging specifications.

Mike Ridgway, who has acted as a spokesman for the packaging producers in the media and discussions with the UK Government, as well as the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg has said of Australia, the only country to introduce plain packaging, that “there are no discernible trends about smoking levels other than they remain ’ consistent ’after a year in force.”

He added: “Other issues include that of the illicit trade through counterfeit products and by simplifying the packaging it will lead to an increase in this trade to the detriment of all including a massive loss of revenue to HMG who already lose up to £ 8 million per day or £3.5billion per year through illegal activities.”

Mike worked in the packaging manufacturing industry for over 40 years and as the MD of Weidenhammer UK Limited based in Bradford in the UK with headquarters in Hockenheim—Germany, and warns of the potential knock-on effect that such severe regulations would have on other aspects of the packaging industry, such as alcohol and other consumables.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .