Abstract: A cigarette carton and a cigarette carton spacer for spacing and protecting smaller than standard size cigarette packs in a standard size cigarette carton. A single or plurality of spacers can be used depending upon the size of the undersized packs to be installed in the standard size carton. At least one spacer is installed to extend longitudinally along the centerline of the carton between adjacent rows of the packs in the carton. The spacer is an elongated rectangular panel of single wall corrugated board having a length dimension corresponding to the length dimension of the interior of the carton and a width dimension corresponding to the height dimension of the interior of the carton. Each longitudinal edge of the spacer is formed with a plurality of spaced apart finger notches open to its peripheral edge. Each finger notch along one longitudinal spacer edge is in alignment with a different one of the finger notches along the other longitudinal spacer edge.

Abstract: A cigarette package includes a plurality of undersized cigarettes which do not entirely fill the cigarette package. The cigarettes are arranged in an orderly group such as, for example, two rows of ten cigarettes each. As is conventional practice, the group of cigarettes is bundled in a foil wrap to keep the cigarettes fresh, and this foil bundle of grouped cigarettes is located in an outer package.A planar spacer is located between the foil bundle and one side wall of the package to take up the space difference between the depth of the foil bundle and depth of the package. An apparatus for installing the spacer includes a first conveyor path for moving foil bundles of grouped cigarettes in single file and a second conveyor path for moving foil bundles of grouped cigarettes in single file each stacked on a spacer. The spacers are placed on the second conveyor one at a time so that they move therealong in single file.