News

Benson & Hedges brand owner Japan Tobacco International is conducting focus groups judging the appeal of cigarette packs with curved edges.

Silk Cut, also owned by Japan Tobacco, introduced a bevel-edged pack in 2005.

Japan Tobacco acquired the Benson & Hedges brand when it bought British manufacturer Gallaher Group in April 2007.

However, Gallaher Group communications manager Jeremy Blackburn denied there were any plans to extend the bevel-edge packs to any other brands in the UK. 

In 2006, Benson & Hedges Silver featured a limited edition side-opening pack with a slide-out drawer.

Japan Tobacco is also investigating using track and trace technology on individual cigarette packs after signing a 15-year anti-counterfeiting agreement with the European Commission in December 2007.

Rival British American Tobacco submitted a patent application for a curved cigarette pack formation in 2006. However, the application was terminated the following year.