The strategic targeting of females by transnational tobacco companies in South Korea following trade liberalisation

Abstract

BackgroundIn 1988 South Korea opened its cigarette market to foreign companies under the threat of US trade sanctions. Despite strong social stigma against female smoking in South Korea, and restrictions on tobacco marketing to women and children, smoking rates among young Korean females increased from 1.6% in 1988 to 13% in 1998. Previous analyses describe how Asian countries have been targeted by transnational tobacco companies for new markets, with Asian females offering substantial future growth potential. An understanding of the strategies used by TTCs to increase smoking among Korean females is critical to public health efforts to adopt a stronger gender perspective in implementing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.MethodsInternal documents of transnational tobacco corporations were systematically searched using keywords focused on the targeting of the female market since market liberalisation in 1988. Industry documents were analysed alongside primary and secondary data on the tobacco industry in South Korea.ResultsTTCs have targeted Korean females since the late 1980s, conducting market research to understand consumer preferences, cultural characteristics and social changes affecting women and girls. Brands designed to appeal to females have focused on "slim" and "superslim" cigarettes, "light" and "mild" claims, and marketing which appeals to the growing numbers of young women entering the labour force. Strategies for overcoming legal restrictions on marketing to women and children have included the use of company rather than brand names, retail distribution at venues frequented by females, trademark diversification and sponsorship.ConclusionGiven the high male smoking rates in South Korea, tobacco control efforts have given limited attention to girls and women. The limited data available on female smoking behaviour suggests that, despite legal restrictions and social stigma, smoking among females has increased since market opening, notably within younger age groups. In addition to more detailed trend data, there is an urgent need for the development and implementation of gender-sensitive tobacco control measures. Part of South Korea's accession to the FCTC should include emphasis on measures to address the strategic targeting of Korean females by TTCs.

Trade Policy and Public Health

“…Trade liberalization has increased both the imports of tobacco products into countries worldwide and the levels of FDI by the tobacco industry. These events have led to increased competition in tobacco-product markets, reductions in the relative prices of these products, and increases in their advertising, promotion, and consumption (30,46,81,120,129,135). In the former Soviet Union countries, for example, tobacco consumption increased by ∼56% in countries that received major tobacco industry investment, whereas a 1% drop in consumption was recorded in those countries that did not receive any such investment (46, 94).…”

Age- and Sex-Specific Burden of Cardiovascular Disease Attributable to 5 Major and Modifiable Risk Factors in 10 Asian Countries of the Western Pacific Region

“…Largely due to cultural barriers smoking in women has been, and continues to remain, a relatively uncommon occurrence in Asian populations despite huge efforts by "big tobacco" to reverse this situation. 28 Age-standardized prevalence estimates ranged from 2% in Thailand to 16% in The Philippines. In China, the corresponding estimate was 2.5% (compared with 53% in men).…”

Trade and investment liberalization and Asia¿s noncommunicable disease epidemic: a synthesis of data and existing literature

“…Similarly, in South Korea smoking prevalence increased from 18.4% to 29.8% among adolescent males and from 1.6% to 8.7% among adolescent females in a one year period [104]. This is reflected in tobacco company corporate documents demonstrating the deliberate and strategic targeting of young women [106]. Thailand, however, maintained import restrictions arguing that US cigarettes contained additives more harmful than those in domestic cigarettes.…”