Point of Sale Display of Tobacco Products

Citation

Hastings G, MacKintosh AM, Holme I, Davies K, Angus K & Moodie C (2008) Point of Sale Display of Tobacco Products. Cancer Research UK.

Abstract
This report covers two issues: Point of Sale (PoS) tobacco marketing and the promotion of tobacco accessories. PoS marketing concerns all the activity that takes place in the store to promote tobacco. It is the most basic and important task the marketer undertakes: setting out their stall and presenting their products to potential customers. Traditionally tobacco PoS marketing included an array of advertising, such as branded print materials, shop furniture, decor and even staff clothing – along with the core activity of displaying the product. The UK Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act (TAPA) of 2002 was introduced incrementally from February 2003. The first three phases, the main advertising ban, a ban on promotional activities, and a ban on sponsorship of domestic sporting events were implemented between February and July 2003 (see Section B). Subsequently, restrictions were placed on PoS advertising in December 2004. This limited the amount of tobacco advertising allowed in shops to one A5 sized poster, with 30% of that area taken up with a health message. However the TAPA did not regulate the display of products and this has become more elaborate and prominent as a result. Sophisticated and stylish gantries dominate most small outlets (where underage smokers typically buy their tobacco) and supermarkets have elaborate booths. These units display to best advantage an array of tobacco products in liveried packs which have been deliberately designed to communicate carefully honed brand values. This turns, the pack, or ‘silent salesman’, into a small advertisement and the gantry into a big one – and the distinction between promotion and display disappears. This report reflects this reality and treats PoS display, advertising and promotion as synonyms. It summarises four pieces of research: •a review of the business literature showing that PoS is a very well established and sophisticated marketing function that is deliberately used to influence consumer behaviour and, in the case of tobacco, benefits the manufacturer far more than the retailer. •a review of the published evidence on the effects of tobacco PoS showing that it has a clear influence on both youth and adult smoking. •a new analysis of primary data collected in the Cancer Research UK CTCR survey of adolescents’ reactions to tobacco marketing. This shows that since TAPA, PoS has taken over as the most important source of tobacco marketing for young people, and that related marketing tools of posters (which are now only present at PoS), new pack designs and special price offers (which are both displayed at PoS) remain prominent. •a review of tobacco industry arguments against PoS restrictions in the retail trade press which shows that these do not stand up to scrutiny. It argues that the tobacco control community should do more to engage with this sector. Finally, looking beyond PoS, a review on the promotion of tobacco accessories (such as lighters, matches and rolling papers) shows that this acts as a form of tobacco promotion and should therefore be prohibited under the terms of TAPA.