Anti-tobacco control industry strategies in Turkey

Abstract

BackgroundTransnational tobacco companies (TTCs) penetrated the Turkish cigarette market due to trade and investment liberalization in the post-1980 period and eventually secured full control. Despite tobacco control policies put in place in reaction to accelerating consumption, TTCs reinforced their market power through a variety of strategies. This paper explores industry strategies that counteract tobacco control policies in Turkey.MethodsThe study employs both qualitative and quantitative analyses to explore industry strategies in Turkey. Besides the content analyses of industry and market reports, descriptive analyses were conducted for the sub-periods of 1999–2015. The analyses focus on the market strategies of product innovation, advertisement-promotion, cost management and pricing.ResultsRising sales of low tar, ultra-low tar, slim, super-slim and flavoured cigarettes indicate that product innovation served to sustain consumption. Besides, the tobacco industry, using its strong distribution channels, the Internet, and CSR projects, were found to have promoted smoking indirectly. The industry also rationalized manufacturing facilities and reduced the cost of tobacco, making Turkey a cigarette-manufacturing base. Tobacco manufacturers, moreover, offered cigarettes in different price segments and adjusted net prices both up and down according to price categories and market conditions. In response to the successful effect of shifts in price margins, the market share of mid-priced cigarettes expanded while those within the economy category maintained the highest market share. As a result of pricing strategies, net sales revenues increased. Aside from official cigarette sales, the upward trends in the registered and unregistered sales of cigarette substitutes indicate that the demand-side tobacco control efforts remain inadequate.ConclusionsThe Turkish case reveals that the resilience of the tobacco industry vis-à-vis mainstream tobacco control efforts necessitates a new policy perspective. Rising market concentration by TTCs and the global nature of industry strategies require that the highly profitable manufacturing and trade of tobacco products should be discouraged on a basis of international collaboration. To reduce and eventually eradicate tobacco consumption, supply-side tobacco control measures are needed along with demand-side policies.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-5071-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Changes in prevalence and predictors of tobacco smoking and interest in smoking cessation in Turkey: Evidence from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2008–2016

“…This might be attributed, in part, to the income gains during this period, as indicated by increases in Turkey’s per capita Gross Domestic Product 14 ; tobacco excise taxes were also lower than the target of 70% of retail prices recommended by WHO 12 . In addition, mid-priced tobacco product availability and marketing of these products increased options as well as popularity, as some consumers may have shifted from premium brands to more economical brands of manufactured cigarettes 15 . Other factors that have been noted as barriers to decreasing tobacco use are lack of enforcement of legislation banning smoking in most public spaces and lack of legislation banning retail product displays 12 , 15 .…”

“…In addition, mid-priced tobacco product availability and marketing of these products increased options as well as popularity, as some consumers may have shifted from premium brands to more economical brands of manufactured cigarettes 15 . Other factors that have been noted as barriers to decreasing tobacco use are lack of enforcement of legislation banning smoking in most public spaces and lack of legislation banning retail product displays 12 , 15 . Although advertisements promoting tobacco products have been prohibited in most venues in Turkey for several years, such exposure was not uncommon among GATS respondents, with approximately 13% of respondents in the 2016 survey reporting awareness of advertisements in the previous 30 days.…”

“…In 2015, Turkey published their National Tobacco Control Program Plan of Action (2015–2018), which outlined a number of strategies and activities to meet several tobacco control and cessation goals, such as increasing public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use, increase the rate of smoking cessation to >50%, and to completely eliminate all forms of tobacco advertising 12 . Additional ongoing or planned tobacco control measures in Turkey include government support of the ALO 171 Quitline, including revisions to scripts targeted to callers aged <18 years, support for smoking cessation clinics and providing cessation medications free of charge, increased enforcement and monitoring of smoke-free policies, anti-tobacco television ads, prevention of the import and marketing of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, and implementation of plain cigarette packaging 12 , 15 .…”

Tobacco industry tactics in response to cigarette excise tax increases in Mauritius

“…11 BAT Mauritius's strategy of overshifting the excise tax has precedent in a number of countries, including the UK, Turkey, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Africa. [12][13][14][15][16] If the dominant tobacco company has market power, it has price setting ability. If this strategy of over shifting the excise tax is applied to all cigarettes, the public health effect of an increase in the excise tax is amplified in the form of even higher retail prices.…”

The tobacco endgame: The neglected role of place and environment

“…In Turkey, for instance, TTCs have reinforced their market power through a variety of strategies which have limited the effectiveness of tobacco control. Despite the enactment of stronger tobacco control policies, these have been counteracted by TTCs with the result that tobacco consumption has increased since the 1980s (Keklik and Gultekin-Karakas, 2018). In such circumstances, while there is a need for more effective tobacco control interventions, currently narratives of a tobacco endgame are irrelevant.…”