Plain packaging cigarettes to promote tobacco smuggling say retailers group

A retailers group said that plain packaging on cigarettes will provide fuel for the illicit trade and cause job losses.

The National Federation of Retail Newsagents said that tobacco smuggling is continuing to grow and that plain packaging will only provide for more counterfeiting.

The group said that plain packaging plans have been shelved in other countries.

The President of NFNR Ireland, Joe Sweeney, said that there are better ways to prevent smoking.

"Plain packaging won't do anything…primarily what needs to be done here is education if they want to convince young people not to start smoking in the first place."