KARLSRUHE, Germany – Germany’s highest civil court will consider whether supermarket cigarette machines can hide the gruesome warning labels on cigarette packets, reported German news agency (dpa).
A German anti-smoking group brought the lawsuit, complaining that the mandatory warning labels –which often include graphic images of diseases caused by smoking – are often visible to customers only after they have purchased the cigarettes.
The lawsuit cited cigarette machines at two Munich supermarkets.
It is unclear when Germany’s Federal Court of Justice will issue a decision on the case.
Munich’s Higher Regional Court earlier ruled against the anti-smoking group. The lower court found that hiding the warning labels did not violate German law because none of the packaging could be seen in the supermarket cigarette machines.
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg issued a similar ruling in March based on European Union law. – Bernama
