Who Are We

The Hands Off Our Packs campaign is owned and managed by Forest (Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco). Forest is supported by British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Limited and Gallaher Limited (a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies). The tobacco companies are proud to support this campaign. However the views expressed on this or any other Forest-affiliated website are those of Forest alone.

Hands Off Our Packs was launched in February 2012 to oppose standardised (or 'plain') packaging of tobacco. In August 2012 we submitted over 250,000 signatures to the UK government consultation on standardised packaging. In total, according to the government's summary report, 665,989 campaign responses were received from 24 separate campaigns. Around two-thirds of the campaign responses (427,888) were from people opposed to the introduction of standardised packaging. One third (238,101) were from people who supported plain packaging.

Forest subsequently launched a letter-writing campaign, Say No To Plain Packs, that invited members of the public to inform their MP about their opposition to plain packaging. Now, following the Government's controversial decision to proceed with plain packaging, subject to a “final short consultation”, we are inviting you to write to the Prime Minister himself.