Other (Post-Implementation Review) of Tobacco Legislation: The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015

This document describes a comprehensive evaluation of the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 (SPoT) in the UK, focusing on its effectiveness in tobacco control and its economic impact on small businesses. The policy's primary goals were to diminish the attractiveness of tobacco products, discourage smoking, and improve the visibility of health warnings. A range of methods, including stakeholder consultations, peer-reviewed studies, and analysis of sales trends, was used to assess the policy's outcomes. The findings show a decline in smoking rates among adults and youth, increased quit attempts, and high compliance with the regulations, with no significant rise in illicit trade. While some businesses reported a drop in tobacco sales, the overall economic impact on them was limited. The health benefits of the policy were deemed to outweigh the economic costs. The review supports the continuation of SPoT regulations, suggesting they have been effective in reducing smoking uptake and aiding cessation, and align with the UK's Smoke-free 2030 ambition. The document concludes that the regulations have successfully met public health objectives, with the economic impact on stakeholders being secondary to the health gains achieved. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Value for money evaluation; Impact evaluation
• Impact methods: Generic research method
• Value for money methods: Cost-benefit analysis
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: March 2022

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes