As stated in our previous article, by the date of 5 December 2018 Turkey introduced new plain packaging rules for tobacco, and announced that details will be provided with a regulation. Mentioned regulation, The Regulation on The Methods and Procedures for Manufacturing, Labelling and Control of Tobacco Products ("Regulation") has been published in Official Gazette number 30701 on 1 March 2019.

The Regulation introduces new bans and restrictions on tobacco products' packaging. The provisions which will be applied starting from 5 July 2019 are as follows:

  1. Brands of tobacco products imported or manufactured in Turkey should be written as follows:
  2. a) Only on package's front surface, vertically and horizontally centred on the area below or next to the combined health warning sign.

    b) In the same direction as the text of the combined health warning.

    c) Coloured in Pantone Cool Gray 2 C Matte finish.

    d) As the first letter of the word will be uppercase and others lowercase.

    e) In uniform font size.

    f) With Helvetica font.

    g) Without using alphabetic, numerical, signs except for the "&" sign.

    h) No relief and foil will be used.

  1. Tobacco producers' trademarks and likewise distinctive statement should not:
  2. a) Introduce the tobacco product or encourage its consumption by creating a false impression of tobacco product's characteristics, health effects, risks or emissions; provide incomplete information; mislead and deceive the consumer.

    b) Encourage or appeal the tobacco product.

    c) Suggest or imply that a particular tobacco product is less harmful than others, aims to reduce the effect of smoke's harmful components, provides other positive health or lifestyle benefits; indicate that it has energizing, healing, rejuvenating, natural, organic features.

    d) Have the characteristics that refer to taste, smell, any flour or other additive or lack thereof.

  1. The colour, shape and content of the Tobacco Packaging, and the product specifications:

  2. a) The colour and tone of the outer surface of the unit packages and groups of tobacco products should be Pantone 448 C Matte finish. The inner surface colour of the unit pack and group made of cardboard material should be Pantone 448 C Matte finish or white. The box should be in the colour of craft brown.

    b) The aluminium foil or metallized paper used in the unit packages of cigarettes should be silver coloured and should not have any tone difference in colour, and for backed paper foils, the back paper should be white. Textured aluminium foils cannot have pictures, patterns or symbols.

In accordance with this regulation, the producers may submit their application to be updated for compliance with this Regulation by 5 July 2019 at the latest. Market availability certificates that are not applied for update permission within this period are deemed to have been cancelled as of 6 July 2019.

"Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven."

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.