Standardised packs and larger health warnings: visual attention and perceptions among Colombian smokers and non‐smokers

Abstract

Aims: To measure how cigarette packaging (standardised packaging and branded packaging) and health warning size affect visual attention and pack preferences among Colombian smokers and non-smokers.Design: To explore visual attention, we used an eye-tracking experiment where nonsmokers, weekly smokers and daily smokers were shown cigarette packs varying in warning size (30%-pictorial on top of the text, 30%-pictorial and text side-by-side, 50%, 70%) and packaging (standardised packaging, branded packaging). We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to examine the impact of warning size, packaging and brand name on preferences to try, taste perceptions and perceptions of harm.

Moving in the right direction: tobacco packaging and labeling in the Americas

“…Only a few countries require quit information on tobacco packaging. Requiring this information can potentially increase the reach and equity of smoking cessation treatment, 5 , 6 as seen in Canada. 18 …”

“…The adoption of tobacco standardized packaging in other countries has shown to reduce the appeal and attractiveness of tobacco packaging and labeling features, especially among youth 19 and if adopted comprehensively, can potentially reduce the prevalence of smoking in the Americas. 4 - 6 …”

“…Only a few countries require quit information on tobacco packaging. Requiring this information can potentially increase the reach and equity of smoking cessation treatment, 5,6 as seen in Canada. 18 Only 21 AMRO countries require descriptive messages on toxic C&Es and most of them refer to tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide.…”

“…A growing body of research examining tobacco packaging and labeling has helped identify best practices. [4][5][6] The FCTC recommends having multiple rotating HWLs and research further suggests rotations should occur periodically to avoid over exposure and the audience becoming desensitized from a single image. 2 While the FCTC recommends that textual messages highlight the harmful effects of tobacco use, pictures eliciting unfavorable emotional associations about tobacco use are more believable and convincing.…”

Effectiveness of Mental Health Warnings on Tobacco Packaging in People With and Without Common Mental Health Conditions: An Online Randomised Experiment

“…The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that warnings on tobacco packaging should expand to include the risks of smoking for mental health ( 28 ), however, only one country has adopted this recommendation, and there is only one study testing the effectiveness of one MHWL. Columbia introduced one mental health warning in 2018 describing the effects of smoking on anxiety, and found larger warnings decrease positive pack perceptions and have the potential to reduce the demand for tobacco products ( 29 ). Other than this one study, no other countries have adopted this recommendation, and there are no other research testing the effectiveness of such warning labels.…”