Posts Tagged "plain packaging"

Open Letter – Plain Packaging Legislation and the Constitution

Posted on Jul 31, 2014

Open Letter – Plain Packaging Legislation and the Constitution

NOTE: The following open letter has been delivered by email to the office of the Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa on 31 July 2014. The contents of this letter is published here in furtherance of the debate on plain packaging legislation and the potential impact on the Constitutional rights of the proprietor. OPEN LETTER 31 July 2014 The Honourable Minister of Health Dr Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi Civitas Building Corner of Thabo Sehume and Struben Streets Private Bag X828 PRETORIA 0001   Dear Dr Motsoaledi, RE: PREVENTION OF USE OF TRADE MARKS ON PACKAGING FOR...

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A Spoon Full of Sugar for Plain Packaging

Posted on Jun 9, 2014

A Spoon Full of Sugar for Plain Packaging

History has taught us that the South African Government, and the Legislature in particular, will not hesitate to make bad law. The volume of carelessly drafted, ill conceived, unconstitutional and overtly political laws that the public has been force-fed in recent years is so great that recourse to the Constitutional Court has become a pedestrian matter. In fact, the alarm felt over perpetual ham-handed law making is only outstripped by Government’s brazen disregard for public cooperation in the democratic process. This even after the public, who are expected to prop up and thereafter obey...

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Formula For Plain (Bland) Packaging

Posted on Dec 3, 2013

Formula For Plain (Bland) Packaging

As of 6 December this year you will no longer see a nurturing mother feeding her happy baby a bottle of formula milk as an advertisement in any newspaper, magazine, on a website or on television. In fact, you will not see the names of any brand or logos of infant formula, follow-up formula or powdered milks, or feeding bottles, teats and feeding cups for infants being promoted anywhere. Well, you will still see the names on the products as you are standing in front of the shelf in the supermarket and wondering which product is the best option for your little angel. You will have to try and...

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News Media: Prof Dean on plain packaging

Posted on May 31, 2013

News Media: Prof Dean on plain packaging

In the past three days, six articles appeared in six different national newspapers referring to Prof Dean’s landmark inaugural lecture at Stellenbosch University regarding the unconstitutional impact of Government’s proposed ban on tobacco branding on trade mark property rights. Prof Dean was also interviewed on this topic by 702 Talk radio (listen here) and 567 Cape Talk (listen here) on this topic. The full text and podcast of Prof Dean’s inaugural lecture is available here. Click on an image to enlarge:   CAPE ARGUS – 29 May CAPE TIMES – 31 May DIE...

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Interview: Prof Dean on Cape Talk

Posted on May 31, 2013

Interview: Prof Dean on Cape Talk

Prof Dean was interviewed by Kieno Kammies for 567 Cape Talk radio today (31 May 2013) on World No Tobacco Day. Prof Dean discussed why Government’s proposed ban on tobacco branding (by means of plain packaging) is unconstitutional and amounts to brand genocide. The interview relates to his inaugural address and subsequent publications. This interview followed on Prof Dean’s previous interview with 702 Talk Radio (listen here).   You can listen to the interview on Cape Talk radio here.   Description (from Cape Talk): Prohibiting trademarks amounts to brand...

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