London: Tobacco displays will have to be kept out of sight in shops in England from April 2012 for large stores and April 2015 for all other shops, the government has announced.

Ministers will also start a public consultation over whether the United Kingdom should become the first country in Europe to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes and other tobacco products while insisting they are keeping "an open mind" on the issue.

Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, has decided to go ahead with the display ban, albeit delayed, after reviewing the move made possible under Labour legislation.

The measure was originally to come into force in October this year for large stores and in 2013 for others. Lansley said in a written statement to the Commons: "Smoking is undeniably one of the biggest and most stubborn challenges in public health. Over 8 million people in England still smoke and it causes more than 80,000 deaths each year. Smoking affects the health of smokers and their families. My ambition is to reduce smoking rates faster over the next five years than has been achieved in the past five years."

Lansley's plan aims to reduce smoking rates in England from 21.2 per cent to 18.5 per cent or less among adults by the end of 2015; from 15 per cent to 12 per cent or less among 15-year-olds and from 14 per cent to 11 per cent or less among pregnant mothers.

Taking the lead

England would be the first country in Europe to force tobacco companies to put cigarettes in plain, unbranded packets, if the move went ahead. Australia is due to introduce the measure next year.

The display ban will not be total, allowing temporary displays in "certain limited circumstances", including when shopkeepers are stock-taking or doing maintenance work.

Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, said: "Nearly all adult smokers started smoking before they turned 18 and every year, over 300,000 children under 16 try smoking."

"I strongly support the ending of tobacco displays in shops. We cannot ignore the targeting of young people through these displays that encourage and recruit them to start smoking at an age when they are less able to make an informed choice."

Have your say:

Do you support this decision? Will this discourage people from smoking? Or not have any impact at all?