The Department of Health’s analysis of the impact of forcing cigarette companies to use plain packaging was a box-ticking exercise that breached the Government’s own analysis guidelines, the country’s biggest tobacco company has claimed.

The tobacco industry and a leading cancer charity have offered opposing verdicts on the success of the plain packaging of cigarettes, two years to the day since the measure was first introduced in Australia.

Coca-Cola has held on to its position as the biggest selling brand in the Irish grocery market for 10 years, according to the latest Checkout Top 100 Brands report, produced by Checkout magazine in association with Nielsen.

Reduced income as a result of the recession and high levels of government duty on a 20-pack of cigarettes is driving tobacco smuggling, according to manufacturers.

Coke is still it, at least as far as Irish consumers are concerned as a new list of the best-selling brands in the country shows Coca Cola is the most popular.

Irish prisoners, including their latest addition, John Dundon, will soon be wearing “Hollywood smiles”, sporting fake tans and smoking Hamlet cigars after retail giant BWG scooped a multimillion-euro contract to supply tuck shops across Irish prisons.

Coca-Cola, Avonmore, Brennan's, Lucozade and Tayto are the top five selling grocery brands in Ireland.

Cigarettes and alcohol have been seized by officers from Revenue's Custom Service at Dublin Airport.

Coca-Cola is the biggest selling brand in Irish shopping baskets, it emerged today.

COCA-COLA is still the top selling brand in Ireland despite shoppers becoming more health conscious.

CUSTOMS have foiled a huge smuggling operation after seizing €11 million of cigarettes packed in containers — the second largest seizure of its kind in the state.

THE Government is not doing enough to stop children taking up smoking, a leading anti-tobacco campaigner said yesterday as new figures showed that cigarette sales are on the increase in Ireland.

Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut owner Gallaher today backed a £7.5bn (€11.2bn) takeover offer from the world’s third largest tobacco company.

Japan Tobacco has agreed to acquire Britain’s Gallaher Group for nearly £10bn (€14.9bn), the largest corporate acquisition by a Japanese company, it is reported today.

The London market was on the rise today after takeover interest in cigarette giant Gallaher lit up the tobacco sector.

Cigarette makers offered a spark to the London’s leading shares today amid speculation over a takeover battle for Benson & Hedges owner Gallaher.

Tobacco shares were ignited today by speculation over a takeover battle for Gallaher, which owns the brands Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut.

The FTSE 100 Index bounced back above the 5800 level today as it recovered more than half of yesterday's losses.

Officers from Revenue’s Customs service from Dublin Port today discovered one million contraband cigarettes valued at over €300,000.

INTERNATIONAL cigarette maker Gallaher Group has maintained its market leader position in Ireland, this year, with a 49.1% share of the tobacco sector.

Tobacco company 'Gallagher' said today it was disappointed by the announcement of a workplace smoking ban in the North.

Marks & Spencer was leading the London market higher today amid talk that an Icelandic investment firm is building up a stake in the retailer.

Takeover talk was fuelling London shares again today as the FTSE 100 Index held ground above the key 5000 barrier.

Record results from BP helped the FTSE 100 Index creep even closer to the landmark 5000 barrier today.

Record results from BP ensured the FTSE 100 Index kept the landmark 5000 barrier within its sights today.

Silk Cut-to-Hamlet group Gallaher today announced plans to restructure its factories in the UK and the North as part of an overhaul that could affect 250 jobs in Europe.

The London market ended Monday comfortably above the 4700 level after a strong session for tobacco stocks.

HEINEKEN Ireland has increased sales by volume by 5% despite the introduction of the smoking ban, but the company’s Murphy’s Stout sales fell by 5% in the first half of the year.

Silk Cut owner Gallaher today posted a 4.4% rise in profits, despite what the company said was the negative impact on sales of the smoking ban in Ireland and higher taxes on cigarettes in Germany.

Global tobacco giant Gallagher said its Irish sales fell 9.3% in the first five months of 2004.

The London market was dragged down by a poor performance across the Atlantic today as concerns over rising oil prices and interest rates weighed heavily.

THE blue-chip index will be looking to push to 19-month highs this week, powered by results from Britain's biggest banker HSBC, among a slew of others.

UK cigarette maker, the Gallaher Group, said current trading remains in line with expectations, despite increased personal tobacco import allowances imposed by governments here and in Europe.

SMOKERS have been left with another reason to fume after the cost of several popular brands of cigarettes rose by 10 cent yesterday.

Tobacco company Gallaher, which makes Benson & Hedges cigarettes, today reported a 15% surge in pre-tax profits for last year and said 2003 was on track to meet market expectations.

The FTSE-100 Index is up 13.4 points at 5227.4 with help from Gallaher and Friends Provident.