Philip Morris International

Philip Morris is the biggest tobacco firm in the world. It is owned by Altria Group.

Lobbying firms

• Gardant Communications provided UK public affairs for a number of years to Philip Morris until it the tobacco giant reportedly cut ties in June 2012.
• Crosby Textor
• Pagefield

Former lobbying firms

• APCO Worldwide

Lobbying against plain packaging introduction in Scotland

In 2013, when the Scottish government announced that it would introduce further tobacco restrictions, including plain cigarette packaging to try to dissuade young people from starting smoking, the tobacco industry and Philip Morris International (PMI) adopted their typical tactic of using a 'third party' to deliver and separate the message from the companies.

One of PMI's 'media messengers', the Scottish Grocer's Foundations has campaigned staunchly against plain packaging, alongside the Scottish Wholesale Association.

After this, the corporation launched its 'Plain Nonsense' offensive, forwarding the questionable argument that plain packaging would lead to a rise in the illicit trade of cigarettes. They cited the report by former policy officer Will O'Reilly, which warned of the 'profound unintended consequences' of the decision. O'Reilly was employed by Philip Morris to add weight to their case.

The corporation also has a lobbying and PR firm based in Scotland called Halogen Communications, which attempts to scaremonger policymakers over potential changes to tobacco regulation, for example by sending all MSPs a tobacco giant-funded KPMG report, presenting now-dismissed evidence for the rise in the illicit tobacco trade in Australia following the introduction of plain packaging.

Philip Morris has also made clear its intention to sue the Scottish government if it continues to try to introduce plain packaging.

Resources

• Andy Rowell, Exposed: Tory Advisor is Tobacco Hack Spinwatch, 18 April 2005