E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views
Objectives To explore how e-cigarettes are being promoted at point of sale in the UK and how retailers perceive market trends.Setting Fixed retail outlets subject to a ban on the display of tobacco products.Participants Observational audit of all stores selling tobacco products (n=96) in 4 Scottish...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2015-09-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9/e008547.full |
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| author | D Eadie J Pearce L Macdonald S Haw R Purves A Amos M Stead C Tisch A MacGregor A M MacKintosh W van der Sluijis |
| author_facet | D Eadie J Pearce L Macdonald S Haw R Purves A Amos M Stead C Tisch A MacGregor A M MacKintosh W van der Sluijis |
| author_sort | D Eadie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To explore how e-cigarettes are being promoted at point of sale in the UK and how retailers perceive market trends.Setting Fixed retail outlets subject to a ban on the display of tobacco products.Participants Observational audit of all stores selling tobacco products (n=96) in 4 Scottish communities, conducted over 2 waves 12 months apart (2013–2014), and qualitative interviews with small retailers (n=25) in 4 matched communities.Primary and secondary outcome measures The audit measured e-cigarette display characteristics, advertising materials and proximity to other products, and differences by area-level disadvantage. Interviews explored retailers’ perceptions of e-cigarette market opportunities and risks, and customer responses.Results The number of e-cigarette point-of-sale display units and number of brands displayed increased between waves. E-cigarettes were displayed close to products of interest to children in 36% of stores. Stores in more affluent areas were less likely to have external e-cigarette advertising than those in deprived areas. Although e-cigarettes delivered high profit margins, retailers were confused by the diversity of brands and products, and uncertain of the sector's viability. Some customers were perceived to purchase e-cigarettes as cessation aids, and others, particularly low-income smokers, as a cheaper adjunct to conventional tobacco.Conclusions E-cigarette point-of-sale displays and number of brands displayed increased over 12 months, a potential cause for concern given their lack of regulation. Further scrutiny is needed of the content and effects of such advertising, and the potentially normalising effects of placing e-cigarettes next to products of interest to children. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d5e09b05b1bf4e3b83a279e9ff03358b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-d5e09b05b1bf4e3b83a279e9ff03358b2025-08-20T02:13:48ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552015-09-015910.1136/bmjopen-2015-008547E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ viewsD Eadie0J Pearce1L Macdonald2S Haw3R Purves4A Amos5M Stead6C Tisch7A MacGregor8A M MacKintosh9W van der Sluijis101Institute for Social Marketing, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK2Centre for Research on Environment Society and Health, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UKMRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK6School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK1Institute for Social Marketing, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK4Centre for Population Health Sciences, School of Molecular Genetic and Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK1Institute for Social Marketing, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK2Centre for Research on Environment Society and Health, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK2Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich1Institute for Social Marketing, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK3Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UKObjectives To explore how e-cigarettes are being promoted at point of sale in the UK and how retailers perceive market trends.Setting Fixed retail outlets subject to a ban on the display of tobacco products.Participants Observational audit of all stores selling tobacco products (n=96) in 4 Scottish communities, conducted over 2 waves 12 months apart (2013–2014), and qualitative interviews with small retailers (n=25) in 4 matched communities.Primary and secondary outcome measures The audit measured e-cigarette display characteristics, advertising materials and proximity to other products, and differences by area-level disadvantage. Interviews explored retailers’ perceptions of e-cigarette market opportunities and risks, and customer responses.Results The number of e-cigarette point-of-sale display units and number of brands displayed increased between waves. E-cigarettes were displayed close to products of interest to children in 36% of stores. Stores in more affluent areas were less likely to have external e-cigarette advertising than those in deprived areas. Although e-cigarettes delivered high profit margins, retailers were confused by the diversity of brands and products, and uncertain of the sector's viability. Some customers were perceived to purchase e-cigarettes as cessation aids, and others, particularly low-income smokers, as a cheaper adjunct to conventional tobacco.Conclusions E-cigarette point-of-sale displays and number of brands displayed increased over 12 months, a potential cause for concern given their lack of regulation. Further scrutiny is needed of the content and effects of such advertising, and the potentially normalising effects of placing e-cigarettes next to products of interest to children.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9/e008547.full |
| spellingShingle | D Eadie J Pearce L Macdonald S Haw R Purves A Amos M Stead C Tisch A MacGregor A M MacKintosh W van der Sluijis E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views BMJ Open |
| title | E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views |
| title_full | E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views |
| title_fullStr | E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views |
| title_full_unstemmed | E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views |
| title_short | E-cigarette marketing in UK stores: an observational audit and retailers’ views |
| title_sort | e cigarette marketing in uk stores an observational audit and retailers views |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9/e008547.full |
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