German brands turn up heat on plain cigarette packaging

GERMAN advertisers and brands have written to the Irish ambassador in Berlin claiming plans for tobacco plain packaging will have "devastating" economic implications for Irish companies.

The chief advertising and brand associations in Germany have also warned that the tobacco market would be “swamped” with counterfeit products and this would “endanger” people’s health.

Irish ambassador Michael Collins has received the written warnings from the German Brands Association (Markenverband) and the German Advertising Federation.