Tobacco companies take UK to court over “standardised packaging” regulations

Four of the world’s biggest tobacco companies are taking the UK government to court over “standardised packaging” rules for cigarettes, which are due to come into force in May 2016.

Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco, and Japan Tobacco International claim that the government has stolen their intellectual property and deprived them of billions of pounds by denying them the right to use any form of branding on cigarette packs.

All cigarette packets manufactured for the United Kingdom and Ireland must have a standard pack design from May …