Young smokers and non-smokers perceptions of typical users of plain vs. branded cigarette packs: a between-subjects experimental survey

Abstract

BackgroundIn an attempt to minimize the pack design avenue of communication between tobacco producers and smokers and potential smokers, several jurisdictions, including Norway, have considered regulations on cigarette pack design. The main aim of the current study was to investigate how package design affects young people’s perceptions of typical smokers of some pre-chosen cigarette brands and brand varieties.MethodsBased on data from a web survey among 1022 15–22 year-olds, possible effects of plain packaging of cigarettes on adolescents’ views about typical cigarette smokers were investigated. The data collection had a between-subjects design, in which participants were allocated to one of three groups, and asked to typify the smokers of selected cigarette packs either in branded, plain or plain with descriptor versions. The sample included boys and girls, and smokers and non-smokers. The smoker characteristics included in the investigation were: gender, glamour, stylishness, popularity, coolness, sophistication and slimness.ResultsAfter creating sum-scores within and across packs and pack versions, analyses indicated that a shift from branded to plain cigarette packaging would result in a reduction in positive user images related to smoking among adolescents and young adults. For girls, this effect held up after controlling for confounders.ConclusionsTo the extent that plain packaging contributes to making smoking images less positive, it can potentially be an efficient aid in reducing smoking uptake among adolescents.

Projecting the future smoking prevalence in Norway

“…6,19 Plain packaging also contributes to making the image of smoking less positive which has the potential to reduce smoking uptake among adolescents. 22 In addition, harm reduction strategies (e.g. switching from cigarettes to nicotine replacement therapy, snus or e-cigarettes) offer an additional approach that could encourage adults to quit or reduce their smoking.…”

The Association Between Smokers’ Perceived Importance of the Appearance of Cigarettes/Cigarette Packs and Smoking Sensory Experience: A Structural Equation Model

“…This relationship between perceived "smoking sensory experience," tobacco packaging and price is confirmed by previous research showing that cigarette packages that displayed fewer branding design elements (i.e., plain packs), were more likely to be unfavorably perceived by smokers as being "cheap looking," thus reducing the appeal associated with smoking. 8,22,23 Research has also shown that such plain packaging reduces perception of tobacco taste, [24][25][26] while increasing visual attention toward health-warning information. 27 This study is limited by the cross-sectional nature of the data which precludes drawing of causal inferences.…”

Effects of plain packaging on decision-making and reward for nicotine cigarettes

“…For instance, adolescents describe smokers of plain-packaged cigarettes as less trendy and from lower social classes than smokers of branded cigarette packages. [6][7][8][9][10]20 Similarly, smokers of plain-packaged cigarettes are also described as having an "addictive personality", since they continue to smoke even when the appeal of smoking has been removed along with the branding. 9 Therefore, changes in perceptions about the smokers of plain-packaged cigarettes appear to increase social stigma.…”

“…Brands can also portray information about the smoker who smokes a certain brand of cigarette, such as sex, personality (eg, sophisticated), and social status (eg, wealthy). [6][7][8][9][10] Moreover, branding influences both smokers and nonsmokers. For example, Gendall et al 11 found that nonsmokers characterize cigarette brands with such adjectives as "sophisticated", "trendy", "professional", etc, and are more likely than smokers to associate positive attributes with familiar brands (ie, brands available for purchase).…”