British Brands Group director John Noble said the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, which will come into force by April 2008, was "the best opportunity for 10 years" to do something about copycat packaging.
However, this would depend on "proper enforcement", he added.
Samantha Legg, senior legal counsel for L'Oréal, said legal action against companies that perpetrated copycat packaging would "act as a deterrent", but brand owners would be reluctant to take action against retailers that had copied their designs because they could de-list their products.
Chris Griffin, partner at design group PI Global, called for a Packaging Standards Authority to give consumers a place to complain about potential copycat packs.
Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik, who chaired the event, said he wanted to raise the issue of copycat packaging with government.
Öpik, a former Procter & Gamble assistant brand manager, said: "Success for me would be to convince the government that what we are talking about is worthy."
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