Plain tobacco packaging duty on cigarettes fell by 3.4% in Australia in 2013 compared to 2012 when plain packaging was introduced. Some commentators referred to data provided by the tobacco industry and claimed that the tobacco sales volume had increased by 59 million sticks (individual cigarettes or their roll-your-own equivalents) during the same period. According to Philip Morris International, 2013 saw a 0.3% increase in tobacco sales compared to 2012. Other commentators however contradicted these claims based on data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in March 2014. A study conducted by KPMG for three major cigarette manufacturers had found that illegal
Plain tobacco packaging tobacco companies subsequently hired a public relations firm to oversee the campaign. In May 2011, British American Tobacco launched a media campaign suggesting that illicit trade and crime syndicates would benefit from plain packaging. BATA CEO David Crow threatened to lower cigarette prices in order to compete, which he claimed could result in higher levels of smoking amongst young people. Mr. Crow later commented he would tell his own children not to smoke cigarettes, because they are unhealthy. The BATA campaign is largely based on a report from Deloitte. Several of the claims contained in the report related to border