Cigarette warnings no longer need to be visible in the store

District Court Berlin: Specifications only apply to the boxes
The warnings printed on packets of cigarettes do not necessarily have to be visible in the store. The Berlin Regional Court ruled in a ruling of March 20, 2018, published on March 29, 2018 (Ref .: 16 O 104/17).

According to a new study, the number of smoking deaths per year will rise to around eight million by 2030. Tobacco consumption costs the world economy almost a trillion euros a year. (Image: graja / fotolia.com)

It thus dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband against a seller. On landing shelves, the warnings printed on cigarette packs, such as "Smoking can be fatal," were completely or partially obscured by mounts or stock cards.

The district court Berlin emphasized now, the European law guidelines for the warnings refer only to the cigarette packs themselves. The same applies also to the European law implementing German regulation. In order to refer to these prescriptions also on the presentation with the sales, lacking the German prescription also the legal basis. Practically, it is also hardly possible to show the warnings of all boxes open. mwo