Sales of cigarette cases soared over the festive period as smokers chose to conceal graphic health warnings with personal images and pictures.

Ian Lowe, director of  cigarette case company Smoke Screenz, said: “We experienced a huge demand for our personalised cigarette cases over Christmas and the New Year, especially for cases with a Christmas or New Year theme.”

“Judging by the demand it is clear to us that smokers have had enough of being presented with a highly taxed product where the packaging is getting duller by the year and that they are enjoying the opportunity to be able to regain some individuality,” Lowe added.

The company now plans to launch a new range of cases with a Valentines Day theme, as-well as a Super Kings size format.

The cases also contain a pocket for business and credit cards.

The government is launching an independent review of plain packaging for tobacco products this month.

There was “no proof whatsoever that plain packaging would deter children from starting to smoke or force adults to reduce consumption,” Lowe added.

“On the contrary there is actually evidence to suggest that plain packaging will do little more than make life extremely difficult for tobacconists and much easier for counterfeiters. There are macro economic downsides as well which have not been fully considered.”