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Tobacco advertising and promotion at point‐of‐sale

Tobacco advertising and promotion at point‐of‐sale Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control, Curtin University, Western Australia Ciara O’Flaherty, Susan Stewart, Denise Sullivan The Cancer Council Western Australia Point-of-sale (POS) advertising is a means of targeting consumers at the place where they buy their products. With the banning of many forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, POS advertising and displays have become an important component in the tobacco industry’s marketing strategy. Tobacco companies spend a substantial amount of their marketing budgets promoting tobacco products in retail outlets.1 These promotional activities include retailer incentives to secure prime shelf space for tobacco products and in-store displays and advertising.2-4 A recent study audited tobacco POS advertising and promotion in different types of retail outlets in Perth, Western Australia. The aim was to identify retail activities that undermined the intentions of legislation restricting tobacco advertising and promotion. In total, 72 outlets selling tobacco products inside or in close proximity to the 10 largest shopping centres in the Perth metropolitan area were visited by auditors between April and August 2005. Two auditors approached the store attendant in each retail outlet, introduced themselves and sought permission to look at the displays of tobacco products and take some photographs. The auditors arrived unannounced to preclude store managers making any changes to displays. Of the 72 retail outlets visited, 92% (n=66) agreed to be audited. POS tobacco advertising was observed in 35% (n=23) of retail outlets visited However, other activities constituting tobacco product promotions were also prevalent. Cigarette packs and cartons were displayed to look like posters (i.e. ‘power-walls’)5 in 58% (n=38) of outlets (see Figure 1). These were visible from outside the store in most cases. Brand-specific counter-top displays were also observed. These are powerful forms of promotion in retail outlets. An important objective of tobacco control legislation is to minimise children’s exposure to tobacco promotions and their access to cigarettes. However, the audit found that 32% (n=21) of retail outlets displayed cigarette packs adjacent to products that children or adolescents were likely to buy (e.g., confectioneries, youth magazines, toys). Twenty-four per cent (n=16) of outlets arranged tobacco displays in such a way that pack health warnings were either fully or partially obscured. Packs were stacked to display the cigarette brand names on the lid only or displayed at an angle to obscure the health warnings. In one store, price stickers were placed over warnings (see Figure 1). 2006 vol. 30 no. 6 Previous surveys have identified solid support in Western Australia for tougher legislation at POS. Laurvick and Jamrozik4 found some support among retail owners and managers for removing all indoor POS advertising (n=236; 39% in favour, 19% undecided). Furthermore, a survey of State Members of Parliament found strong support for “prohibiting all advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including POS promotion and tobacco sponsored events marketing” (strongly in favour 80%; in favour 9%).6 The results of the retail audit added yet more evidence to support strengthening of Western Australia’s Tobacco Control Act 1990, and were presented to the Minister for Health by The Cancer Council Western Australia. Figure 1: Cigarette packs displayed to form ‘power-walls’ and in such a way that the health warnings are not visible or only partially visible. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Letters New State legislation has since been introduced, with the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 repealing and replacing the former Act. The legislation aims to further drive down smoking prevalence, reduce the availability of tobacco products to minors and further diminish the influences of tobacco advertising. While most provisions took effect from 31 July 2006, wholesaler and retailer licensing provisions come into place in November 2006 and February 2007 respectively. The latter provisions require anyone who sells tobacco products to be licensed, ban POS advertising, and limit displays of cigarettes to one square metre (with a three square metres or unlimited conditional exemption available to very few ‘specialist tobacconists’). These are exciting developments for Western Australia. The ban on POS advertising is a big win and has long been a focus of lobbying activity, while reductions in display size minimise opportunities for promotional displays. However, there remains a need for vigilant monitoring of retail activities and enforcement of penalties for legislative breaches. The ultimate goal is to remove tobacco products from public display entirely and introduce mandatory generic packaging for products. from pharmaceutical companies face conflicts of interest.1 For example, pharmaceutical companies exist to make profits for their shareholders, not to enhance the health or interests of patients and citizens. Research and development is focused on new, more profitable versions of existing drugs and on creating markets for newly invented ‘diseases’. Further, there is good evidence that much drug advertising is misleading and that it almost certainly affects prescribing. 2 Further information about misleading advertising by the pharmaceutical industry can be found at the ‘Healthy Skepticism’ website. 3 Second, most pharmaceutical companies are large global organisations with considerable power to control the research, development, marketing and price of the drugs they produce. This means that even where governments wish to provide free or lowcost drugs to their population, they are held to ransom by these powerful international for-profit organisations. We find it offensive that the PHAA and the Journal are accepting advertising from a sector that has shown little regard for the principles of population health and equity. References 1. Feighery EC, Ribisl KM, Clark PI, et al. How tobacco companies ensure prime placement of their advertising and products in stores: Interviews with retailers about tobacco company incentive programmes. Tob Control. 2003;12:184-8. 2. Bloom P. Role of slotting fees and trade promotions in shaping how tobacco is marketed in retail stores. Tob Control. 2001;10:340-4. 3. Feighery EC, Ribisl KM, Achabal DD, et al. Retail trade incentives: How tobacco industry practices compare with those of other industries. Am J Public Health. 1999;89(10):1564-6. 4. Laurvick CL, Jamrozik K. Support from retailers for tightening the Western Australian Tobacco Control Act 1990. Tob Control. 2001;10:295. 5. Greaves L. Canada: Demolishing the power walls. Tob Control. 2003;12:7-8. 6. Jalleh G, Donovan RJ. Report of the State Members of Parliament Survey. Perth (AUST): Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control, Division of Health Sciences, Curtin University; 2005. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Wiley

Tobacco advertising and promotion at point‐of‐sale

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
1326-0200
eISSN
1753-6405
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-842X.2006.tb00791.x
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Abstract

Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control, Curtin University, Western Australia Ciara O’Flaherty, Susan Stewart, Denise Sullivan The Cancer Council Western Australia Point-of-sale (POS) advertising is a means of targeting consumers at the place where they buy their products. With the banning of many forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, POS advertising and displays have become an important component in the tobacco industry’s marketing strategy. Tobacco companies spend a substantial amount of their marketing budgets promoting tobacco products in retail outlets.1 These promotional activities include retailer incentives to secure prime shelf space for tobacco products and in-store displays and advertising.2-4 A recent study audited tobacco POS advertising and promotion in different types of retail outlets in Perth, Western Australia. The aim was to identify retail activities that undermined the intentions of legislation restricting tobacco advertising and promotion. In total, 72 outlets selling tobacco products inside or in close proximity to the 10 largest shopping centres in the Perth metropolitan area were visited by auditors between April and August 2005. Two auditors approached the store attendant in each retail outlet, introduced themselves and sought permission to look at the displays of tobacco products and take some photographs. The auditors arrived unannounced to preclude store managers making any changes to displays. Of the 72 retail outlets visited, 92% (n=66) agreed to be audited. POS tobacco advertising was observed in 35% (n=23) of retail outlets visited However, other activities constituting tobacco product promotions were also prevalent. Cigarette packs and cartons were displayed to look like posters (i.e. ‘power-walls’)5 in 58% (n=38) of outlets (see Figure 1). These were visible from outside the store in most cases. Brand-specific counter-top displays were also observed. These are powerful forms of promotion in retail outlets. An important objective of tobacco control legislation is to minimise children’s exposure to tobacco promotions and their access to cigarettes. However, the audit found that 32% (n=21) of retail outlets displayed cigarette packs adjacent to products that children or adolescents were likely to buy (e.g., confectioneries, youth magazines, toys). Twenty-four per cent (n=16) of outlets arranged tobacco displays in such a way that pack health warnings were either fully or partially obscured. Packs were stacked to display the cigarette brand names on the lid only or displayed at an angle to obscure the health warnings. In one store, price stickers were placed over warnings (see Figure 1). 2006 vol. 30 no. 6 Previous surveys have identified solid support in Western Australia for tougher legislation at POS. Laurvick and Jamrozik4 found some support among retail owners and managers for removing all indoor POS advertising (n=236; 39% in favour, 19% undecided). Furthermore, a survey of State Members of Parliament found strong support for “prohibiting all advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including POS promotion and tobacco sponsored events marketing” (strongly in favour 80%; in favour 9%).6 The results of the retail audit added yet more evidence to support strengthening of Western Australia’s Tobacco Control Act 1990, and were presented to the Minister for Health by The Cancer Council Western Australia. Figure 1: Cigarette packs displayed to form ‘power-walls’ and in such a way that the health warnings are not visible or only partially visible. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Letters New State legislation has since been introduced, with the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 repealing and replacing the former Act. The legislation aims to further drive down smoking prevalence, reduce the availability of tobacco products to minors and further diminish the influences of tobacco advertising. While most provisions took effect from 31 July 2006, wholesaler and retailer licensing provisions come into place in November 2006 and February 2007 respectively. The latter provisions require anyone who sells tobacco products to be licensed, ban POS advertising, and limit displays of cigarettes to one square metre (with a three square metres or unlimited conditional exemption available to very few ‘specialist tobacconists’). These are exciting developments for Western Australia. The ban on POS advertising is a big win and has long been a focus of lobbying activity, while reductions in display size minimise opportunities for promotional displays. However, there remains a need for vigilant monitoring of retail activities and enforcement of penalties for legislative breaches. The ultimate goal is to remove tobacco products from public display entirely and introduce mandatory generic packaging for products. from pharmaceutical companies face conflicts of interest.1 For example, pharmaceutical companies exist to make profits for their shareholders, not to enhance the health or interests of patients and citizens. Research and development is focused on new, more profitable versions of existing drugs and on creating markets for newly invented ‘diseases’. Further, there is good evidence that much drug advertising is misleading and that it almost certainly affects prescribing. 2 Further information about misleading advertising by the pharmaceutical industry can be found at the ‘Healthy Skepticism’ website. 3 Second, most pharmaceutical companies are large global organisations with considerable power to control the research, development, marketing and price of the drugs they produce. This means that even where governments wish to provide free or lowcost drugs to their population, they are held to ransom by these powerful international for-profit organisations. We find it offensive that the PHAA and the Journal are accepting advertising from a sector that has shown little regard for the principles of population health and equity. References 1. Feighery EC, Ribisl KM, Clark PI, et al. How tobacco companies ensure prime placement of their advertising and products in stores: Interviews with retailers about tobacco company incentive programmes. Tob Control. 2003;12:184-8. 2. Bloom P. Role of slotting fees and trade promotions in shaping how tobacco is marketed in retail stores. Tob Control. 2001;10:340-4. 3. Feighery EC, Ribisl KM, Achabal DD, et al. Retail trade incentives: How tobacco industry practices compare with those of other industries. Am J Public Health. 1999;89(10):1564-6. 4. Laurvick CL, Jamrozik K. Support from retailers for tightening the Western Australian Tobacco Control Act 1990. Tob Control. 2001;10:295. 5. Greaves L. Canada: Demolishing the power walls. Tob Control. 2003;12:7-8. 6. Jalleh G, Donovan RJ. Report of the State Members of Parliament Survey. Perth (AUST): Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control, Division of Health Sciences, Curtin University; 2005.

Journal

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health – Wiley

Published: Dec 1, 2006

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