Evans-Reeves Karen A, Hiscock Rosemary, Lauber Kathrin, Gilmore Anna B
Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK
BMJ Open. 2019 Sep 24;9(9):e028506. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028506.
UK standardised packaging legislation was introduced alongside pack size and product descriptor restrictions of the European Union Tobacco Products Directive to end tobacco marketing and misinformation via the pack. This paper aims to assess compliance with the restrictions and identify attempts to continue to market tobacco products and perpetuate misperceptions of harm post legislation.
DESIGN, SETTING AND INTERVENTION: A prospective study of the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products to the UK.
We analysed commercial sales data to assess whether the legally required changes in pack branding, size and name were implemented. To explore any adaptations to products and packaging we analysed sales data, monthly pack purchases of factory-made (FM) cigarettes and roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco, tobacco advertisements from retail trade magazines and articles on tobacco from commercial literature (retail trade, market analyst and tobacco company publications).
One month after full implementation of the UK and European Union policies, 97% FM and 98% RYO was sold in compliant packaging. Nevertheless, tobacco companies made adaptations to tobacco products which enabled continued brand differentiation after the legislation came into force. For example, flavour names previously associated with low tar were systematically changed to colour names arguably facilitating continued misperceptions about the relative harms of products. Tobacco companies used the 1-year sell-through to their advantage by communicating brand name changes and providing financial incentives for retailers to buy large volumes of branded packs. In addition, tobacco companies continued to market their products to retailers and customers by innovating exemptions to the legislation, namely, filters, packaging edges, seals, multipack outers, RYO accessories, cigars and pipe tobacco.
Tobacco companies adapted to packaging restrictions by innovating their tobacco products and marketing activities. These findings should enable policy makers globally to close loopholes and increase the potential efficacy of standardised packaging policies.
英国标准化包装立法与欧盟烟草产品指令中的包装尺寸和产品描述限制一同出台，旨在通过包装杜绝烟草营销和错误信息。本文旨在评估对这些限制的遵守情况，并确定在立法后继续营销烟草产品以及使危害误解长期存在的企图。
设计、背景与干预措施：对英国引入烟草产品标准化包装进行前瞻性研究。
我们分析了商业销售数据，以评估是否实施了法律要求的包装品牌、尺寸和名称变更。为探究对产品和包装的任何调整，我们分析了销售数据、工厂制造（FM）香烟和自卷烟（RYO）烟草的月度包装购买量、零售贸易杂志上的烟草广告以及商业文献（零售贸易、市场分析和烟草公司出版物）中的烟草文章。
在英国和欧盟政策全面实施一个月后，97%的FM香烟和98%的RYO烟草以合规包装销售。然而，烟草公司对烟草产品进行了调整，使得立法生效后品牌仍能继续区分。例如，先前与低焦油相关的风味名称被系统地改为颜色名称，这可以说助长了对产品相对危害的持续误解。烟草公司利用一年的销售期，通过传达品牌名称变更并为零售商大量购买品牌包装提供经济激励，使其自身受益。此外，烟草公司通过创新立法豁免，即过滤嘴、包装边缘、密封、多包外包装、RYO配件、雪茄和烟斗烟草，继续向零售商和客户营销其产品。
烟草公司通过创新其烟草产品和营销活动来适应包装限制。这些发现应能使全球政策制定者填补漏洞，提高标准化包装政策的潜在效力。
