The new graphic labels required on cigarette and miniature-cigar packages are set to start making their way onto store shelves.

Wednesday marked the first day that tobacco manufacturers and importers legally have to start labelling their packages with the explicit warnings unveiled by the government last fall.

It will likely be some time before all stores and packages feature the new warnings, however.

The new Health Canada rules require larger and more noticeable messages that cover 75 per cent of the front and back of packages.