SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Retailers in Australia will begin selling cigarettes in plain packages beginning in January 2012, The Australian reports.

The new law will ban the use of tobacco industry logos, colors and any type of brand imagery or promotional text on cigarette packaging. Brand names and product names will be required to be displayed in a standard color, font and position.

The move was made in an effort to reduce smoking rates among youth and has been strongly opposed by tobacco companies. As a result, tobacco manufacturers have threatened legal action, claiming that the plain packaging breaches trademark law and amounts to a confiscation of property.

Australia’s government previously announced plans to reduce smoking rates in the country to 10 percent or less of the adult population by 2018.