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Tobacco Point-of-Purchase Marketing in School Neighbourhoods and School Smoking Prevalence

A Descriptive Study

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Abstract

Background

Point of Purchase (PoP) promotional and advertising activities are a sophisticated tobacco marketing strategy. This study describes tobacco PoP activities in school neighbourhoods and compares PoP activities in retail stores between schools with high and low smoking prevalence.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 81 randomly selected schools across five provinces. Students in grades 10–11 completed a questionnaire on smoking. Observations were made in all retail stores located within a one-kilometre radius around the school. ANOVA tests were used to detect differences on PoP variables between high (>20.6%) and low (≤20.6%) smoking prevalence schools, defined as percentage of students reporting at least a few puffs on >2 days in the last 30 days.

Results

Approximately half of retail stores in each school neighbourhood exhibited tobacco PoP activities. Average school smoking prevalence was 20.99%. There were significant main effects on PoP variables between schools with high and low smoking prevalence, Wilk’s λ=0.81, F (6,74)=2.89, p<0.01, η2=0.19. Stores near schools with high smoking prevalence had significantly lower prices per cigarette (F (1,79)=15.34, p<0.01, η2=0.16), more in-store promotions (F (1,79)=6.73, p<0.01, η2 =0.08), and fewer government-sponsored health warnings (F (1,79)= 6.26, p<0.01, η2=0.07) compared to schools with low smoking prevalence.

Conclusion

Higher levels of PoP activities in stores located in the school neighbourhood are related to school smoking prevalence. Schools with low smoking prevalence had more stores that posted government health warning signs and higher cigarette prices. Legislation regulating PoP activities and health warnings in school neighbourhoods should be considered.

Résumé

Contexte

L’une des stratégies les plus subtiles des compagnies de tabac consiste à promouvoir et à publiciser la cigarette sur le lieu de vente. Cette étude porte sur les activités de promotion du tabac sur le lieu de vente dans les quartiers où l’on trouve des écoles; ces activités sont ensuite comparées dans les magasins de détail proches d’écoles où la prévalence du tabagisme est soit faible, soit forte.

Méthode

Une étude transversale a été menée dans 81 écoles sélectionnées au hasard dans cinq provinces. Les élèves de 10e et de 11 e année ont rempli un questionnaire sur le tabagisme. Tous les magasins de détail situés dans un rayon d’un kilomètre de chaque école ont aussi été visités. Des analyses de la variance ont permis de déceler les écarts, attribuables à la promotion sur le lieu de vente, entre les écoles à forte (>20,6 %) et à faible (≤20,6 %) prévalence de tabagisme, cette prévalence étant définie comme le pourcentage d’élèves disant avoir tiré au moins quelques bouffées de cigarette au cours de trois ou plus des 30 jours précédents.

Résultats

La présence d’activités de promotion du tabac sur le lieu de vente a été observée dans environ la moitié des magasins de détail de chaque quartier scolaire. La prévalence moyenne du tabagisme dans les écoles était de 20,99 %. La prévalence du tabagisme à l’école était significativement liée aux variables de promotion du tabac sur le lieu de vente (lambda de Wilk=0,81, rapport F [6,74]=2,89, p<0,01, η2=0,19). Dans les magasins proches d’écoles à forte prévalence de tabagisme, le prix par cigarette était significativement plus bas (F [1,79]=15,34, p<0,01, η2=0,16), les publicités internes étaient plus nombreuses (F [1,79]=6,73, p<0,01, η2=0,08), et les mises en garde gouvernementales sur les effets néfastes du tabac étaient moins nombreuses (F [1,79]=6,26, p<0,01, η2=0,07) que dans les magasins proches d’écoles à faible prévalence de tabagisme.

Conclusion

Il existe un lien entre les niveaux élevés d’activité promotionnelle sur le lieu de vente dans les magasins situés dans les quartiers scolaires et la prévalence du tabagisme à l’école. Les écoles à faible prévalence de tabagisme sont situées près de magasins affichant des mises en garde gouvernementales et vendant les cigarettes plus cher. Dans les quartiers où l’on trouve des écoles, il faudrait donc envisager une réglementation plus stricte des activités promotionnelles sur le lieu de vente, ainsi que l’affichage de mises en garde sur les effets néfastes du tabac.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, 5804 Fairview Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    Chris Y. Lovato PhD, Helen C. H. Hsu BSc & Catherine M. Sabiston PhD

  2. School of Human Kinetics, University of British Columbia, Canada

    Valerie Hadd MA

  3. Centre for Health Promotion Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Candace I. J. Nykiforuk PhD

Authors
  1. Chris Y. Lovato PhD
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  2. Helen C. H. Hsu BSc
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  3. Catherine M. Sabiston PhD
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  4. Valerie Hadd MA
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  5. Candace I. J. Nykiforuk PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chris Y. Lovato PhD.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This study was funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research, Grant #62748. We are pleased to acknowledge the technical assistance of Tamiza Abji, Sarah Lockman, Caroline Murphy, and Rashid Ahmed. We also thank the data collectors, schools and students who completed the surveys.

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Lovato, C.Y., Hsu, H.C.H., Sabiston, C.M. et al. Tobacco Point-of-Purchase Marketing in School Neighbourhoods and School Smoking Prevalence. Can J Public Health 98, 265–270 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405400

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