Cigars, cigarillos, cigarette rolling papers, filters, cigarette tubes and all other "herbal products intended for smoking" will have to comply with the rules on standardised packaging from June 2026, announced Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke.
Since 2020, strict rules have been in place in Belgium regarding the packaging of tobacco products. Cigarettes, rolling tobacco and shisha tobacco may only be sold in neutral packets with a green-brown colour and standard font.
Safety warnings must also be clearly stated on the packaging.
Since April this year, it has also been forbidden to display tobacco products in shops and shop windows.
However, these rules are not enough for Vandenbroucke.
The problem, he writes in an explanatory note to the Royal Decree, is that manufacturers use other tobacco-based products to promote their brand, thereby undermining the standardised packaging.
"An example of this type of practice is the introduction of cigarillos (a type of thin cigar), whose packaging resembles an 'old' cigarette packet," he said. In this way, the rules are circumvented.
Attracting young people
Another objective of the measure is to make smoking less attractive to young people. According to studies, standardised packaging can discourage them from purchasing such products.
That is why all tobacco-related products must be subject to the uniform rules from next year.
Vandenbroucke wants to counter the "marketing strategies of the tobacco industry, which are known to target teenagers and young adults, because attracting the next generation of smokers is essential for the industry's survival."
The rules will come into force on 1 June 2026. For small retailers, an exception applies until 1 June 2027. In the meantime, the Federal Government is also working on a smoking ban on terraces.
This would take effect on 1 January 2026, but a final decision has not yet been made.
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