A green group is claiming victory after a cigarette company withdrew an excessively packaged product from the market.
The world's second-largest tobacco company, British American Tobacco, told Friends of the Earth it would recall a promotional package for its Kent brand of cigarettes next week.
It is the first time a cigarette company has bowed to public pressure to recall products because of complaints of over-packaging.
The foam packaging of the product, which included a souvenir lighter, is eight times the volume of a normal packet of cigarettes.
The green group had said the foam was undesirable packaging material because it was not biodegradable, directly contributing more waste to landfills.
'To relieve the public's concerns, we have decided to take an earlier step to recall the item from the market and will properly handle the materials in line with the environmental requirement of the Hong Kong government,' the company told the green group.
Promotional products already sold would not be accepted by the company.