The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015

Regulation 7

SCHEDULE 3 U.K. Exceptions to regulation 7(2) and (3) (colour and shade of packaging of hand rolling tobacco)

Text which states brand name and variant name U.K.

1.—(1) The external packaging of a unit packet or container packet of hand rolling tobacco may have text printed on it which states the brand name and variant name of that product but only if each of the following conditions is met.

(2) Those conditions are—

(a) that the text does not contain any character which is not alphabetic, numeric or an ampersand,

(b) that the first letter of any word is in upper-case type or lower-case type,

(c) that the rest of any word is in lower-case type,

(d) that the text is printed in Helvetica type,

(e) that the colour of the text is Pantone Cool Gray 2 C with a matt finish,

(f) that the text is in a normal, weighted, regular typeface,

(g) that the brand name does not take up more than one line,

(h) that the variant name does not take up more than one line,

(i) that the variant name appears immediately below the brand name and has the same orientation as it,

(j) that the size of the brand name is no larger than 14 point,

(k) that the size of the variant name is no larger than 10 point,

(l) in the case of a unit packet which is cuboid in shape or a container packet which is not cylindrical in shape, that the brand name and variant name may appear only, and not more than once, on each of the following surfaces—

(i) the front surface of the packet,

(ii) one of the smallest surfaces of the packet, and

(iii) the other smallest surface of the packet,

(m) in the case of a unit packet or container packet which is cylindrical in shape, that the brand name and variant name may appear only, and not more than once, on each of the following surfaces—

(i) the front surface of the packet,

(ii) the back surface of the packet, and

(iii) the lid of the packet,

(n) in the case of a unit packet which takes the form of a pouch, that the brand name and variant name may appear only, and not more than once, on each of the following surfaces—

(i) the front surface of the packet,

(ii) the back surface of the packet, and

(iii) if the pouch takes the form of a rectangular pocket with a flap that covers the opening, the hidden surface of the packet,

(o) that the brand name and variant name are located at the centre of any such surface or, where such a surface contains a health warning, at the centre of the area of the surface not taken up by the health warning, and

(p) that the text on any surface which contains a health warning is orientated in accordance with the warning.

Text which states the weight of tobacco U.K.

2.—(1) The external packaging of a unit packet or container packet of hand rolling tobacco may have text printed on it—

(a) which states the weight of tobacco in grams contained in the packet, and

(b) which may be followed by the word “Rolling Tobacco” or “Hand Rolling Tobacco”,

but only if each of the following conditions is met.

(2) Those conditions are—

(a) that the weight of tobacco is expressed in numeric characters followed by the letter “g”,

(b) in the case of a container packet of an aggregation of unit packets, that the weight so expressed is either—

(i) the total weight of tobacco in the container packet, or

(ii) the number of unit packets in the container packet multiplied by the weight of tobacco in each unit packet, with the multiplication symbol being expressed as an “x”,

(c) that the first letter of any word is in upper-case type or lower-case type,

(d) that the rest of any word is in lower-case type,

(e) that the text is printed in Helvetica type,

(f) that the colour of the text is Pantone Cool Gray 2 C with a matt finish,

(g) that the text is in a normal, weighted, regular typeface,

(h) in the case of a unit packet, that the size of the text is no larger than 10 point,

(i) in the case of a container packet, that the size of the text is no larger than 14 point,

(j) that the text appears only once, and

(k) that the text on any surface which contains a health warning is orientated in accordance with the warning.

Text which gives details about producer U.K.

3.—(1) A unit packet or container packet of hand rolling tobacco may have text printed on its external or internal packaging (but not on both its external and internal packaging) which states all or any of the following—

(a) the words “The producer's contact details are:”,

(b) the name of the producer,

(c) the address of the producer,

(d) the email address of the producer, and

(e) the telephone number of the producer,

but only if each of the following conditions is met.

(2) Those conditions are—

(a) that the text does not contain any character which is not alphabetic, numeric or an ampersand or, in the case of an email address, an @ sign,

(b) that the first letter of any word is in upper-case type or lower-case type,

(c) that the rest of any word is in lower-case type,

(d) that the text is printed in Helvetica type,

(e) that the colour of the text—

(i) if it appears on the external packaging, is Pantone Cool Gray 2 C with a matt finish, or

(ii) if it appears on the internal packaging, is one of the following, namely Pantone Cool Gray 2 C with a matt finish, Pantone 448 C with a matt finish or black with a matt finish,

(f) that the text is in a normal, weighted, regular typeface,

(g) that the size of the text is no larger than 10 point,

(h) that the text appears only once, and

(i) that the text does not appear on the front surface of the unit packet or container packet.

Text about cigarette papers and filters U.K.

4.—(1) If, in accordance with paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 4, a unit packet of hand rolling tobacco includes both cigarette papers and filters or either cigarette papers or filters, the external packaging of the unit packet, and of any container packet in which it is contained, may have printed on it such of the following texts as is applicable—

(a) “includes cigarette papers and filters”,

(b) “includes cigarette papers”, or

(c) “includes filters”,

but only if each of the conditions in sub-paragraph (3) is met.

(2) If, in accordance with paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 4, a container packet of hand rolling tobacco includes both cigarette papers and filters or either cigarette papers or filters, the external packaging of the container packet may have printed on it such of the following texts as is applicable—

(a) “includes cigarette papers and filters”,

(b) “includes cigarette papers”, or

(c) “includes filters”,

but only if each of the conditions in sub-paragraph (3) is met.

(3) Those conditions are—

(a) that the text is in lower-case type,

(b) that the text is printed in Helvetica type,

(c) that the colour of the text is Pantone Cool Gray 2 C with a matt finish,

(d) that the text is in a normal, weighted, regular typeface,

(e) that the text appears below any variant name (or, if there is no variant name, below any brand name),

(f) that the size of the text is no larger than 10 point, and

(g) that the text appears only once.

Barcode U.K.

5.—(1) The external packaging of a unit packet or container packet of hand rolling tobacco may contain a barcode but only if each of the following conditions is met.

(2) Those conditions are—

(a) that the sole purpose of the barcode is to facilitate the sale, distribution and stock control of the tobacco product,

(b) that the colour of the barcode is either—

(i) black and white, or

(ii) Pantone 448 C and white,

(c) that the barcode does not form a picture, pattern, image or symbol that is recognisable as anything other than a barcode,

(d) that the barcode appears only once, and

(e) that the barcode does not appear on the front surface of the unit packet or container packet.

Calibration mark U.K.

6.—(1) The external packaging of a unit packet or container packet of hand rolling tobacco may contain a calibration mark but only if both of the following conditions are met.

(2) Those conditions are—

(a) that the calibration mark appears only so far as it is necessary for the automated manufacture of the packaging of the hand rolling tobacco, and

(b) that the calibration mark, if visible or otherwise detectable, is as inconspicuous as possible so far as is consistent with its function in connection with that automated manufacture.