scholarly journals Introduction of standardised packaging and availability of illicit cigarettes: a difference-in-difference analysis of European Union survey data 2015–2018

Thorax ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony A Laverty ◽  
Christopher Millett ◽  
Nicholas S Hopkinson ◽  
Filippos T Filippidis
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Difference In Difference ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Difference Analysis ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
European Union Countries ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Uk

Standardised packaging of tobacco products is intended to reduce the appeal of smoking, but the tobacco industry claims this increases illicit trade. We examined the percentage of people reporting being offered illicit cigarettes before and after full implementation of standardised packaging in the UK, Ireland and France and compared this to other European Union countries. Reported ever illicit cigarette exposure fell from 19.8% to 18.1% between 2015 and 2018 in the three countries fully implementing the policy, and from 19.6% to 17.0% in control countries (p for difference=0.320). Standardised packaging does not appear to increase the availability of illicit cigarettes.

scholarly journals The introduction of standardised packaging and availability of illicit cigarettes: a difference-in-difference analysis of European Union survey data 2015-2018.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Laverty ◽  
Christopher Millett ◽  
Nicholas S Hopkinson ◽  
Filippos T Filippidis
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Tobacco Exposure ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Difference Analysis ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
European Union Countries ◽  
Before And After

Standardised packaging of tobacco products is intended to reduce the appeal of smoking, but the tobacco industry claims this increases illicit trade. We examined the percentage of people reporting being regularly offered illicit cigarettes before and after implementation of standardised packaging in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France and compared this to other European Union countries. Reported regular illicit tobacco exposure fell from 2.7% to 2.3% between 2015 and 2018 in the three countries implementing the policy, and from 2.3% to 1.7% in control countries (p for difference=0.320). Standardised packaging does not appear to increase the availability of illicit cigarettes.

scholarly journals Difference between recommended retail price and sales price for tobacco products in independent and convenience (small) retailers before and after the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Critchlow ◽  
Martine Stead ◽  
Crawford Moodie ◽  
Kathryn Angus ◽  
Douglas Eadie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retail Price ◽  
Price Sensitivity ◽  
Brand Positioning ◽  
Average Difference ◽  
Product Positioning ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Sales Price ◽  
Point Of Sale ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Uk

AimRecommended retail price (RRP) is a marketing strategy used by tobacco companies to maintain competitiveness, communicate product positioning and drive sales. We explored small retailer adherence to RRP before and after the introduction of the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations in the UK (fully implemented on 20 May 2017) which mandated standardised packaging of cigarettes and rolling tobacco, set minimum pack/pouch sizes and prohibited price-marking.MethodMonthly electronic point of sale data from 500 small retailers in England, Scotland and Wales were analysed. From May 2016 to October 2017, we monitored 20 of the best-selling fully branded tobacco products (15 factory-made cigarettes, 5 rolling tobacco) and their standardised equivalents. Adherence to RRP was measured as the average difference (%) between monthly RRPs and sales prices by pack type (fully branded vs standardised), price-marking on packaging and price segment.ResultsThe average difference between RRP and sales price increased from +0.36% above RRP (SD=0.72) in May 2016, when only fully branded packs were sold, to +1.37% in October 2017 (SD=0.30), when standardised packs were mandatory. Increases above RRP for fully branded packs increased as they were phased out, with deviation greater for non-price-marked packs and premium products.DiscussionDespite tobacco companies emphasising the importance of RRP, small retailers implemented small increases above RRP as standardised packaging was introduced. Consequently, any intended price changes by tobacco companies in response to the legislation (ie, to increase affordability or brand positioning) may be confounded by retailer behaviour, and such deviation may increase consumer price sensitivity.

scholarly journals Religious slaughter in European union - Short review

Meso ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 529-537
Author(s):  
Martin Dobeic
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Short Review ◽  
European Union Countries ◽  
The Future ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Religious Slaughter ◽  
Review Current ◽  
The Eu

The aim of this paper was to review current religious slaugtering processes and dillemas in EU. Stunning of animals before slaughter is a legally prescribed requirement in the EU intended to reach animal unconsciousness so that slaughter does not cause anxiety, pain, suffering or distress. In some European Union countries, religious slaughter is exceptionally allowed without stunning. Animals intended for religious slaughter must be healthy and undamaged. In order to meet these requirements, religious slaughtering in the EU is being implemented only in allowed and approved slaughterhouses. Slaughter can only be performed by authorized and educated operators. Regarding religious slaughter, there are many dilemmas in the EU about whether this methods of slaughter causes additional suffering of animals. Insofar as Muslim slaughter in some cases allows some methods of the preslaughter stunning, Jewish slaughter does not allow any stunning. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the fact that in the future, it will be necessary to examine alternative stunning methods which will ensure the integrity of live animals before bleeding. At the same time, it is necessary to harmonize the guidelines for a harmonized procedures of handling animals before and after slaughtering and certifying of the meat originating from religious slaughter in order not to mislead consumers.

scholarly journals Is the productivity premium of internationalized firms technology-driven?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Battisti ◽  
Filippo Belloc ◽  
Massimo Del Gatto
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Import Competition ◽  
Specific Production ◽  
Detailed Data ◽  
Factor Productivity ◽  
Technology Gaps ◽  
European Union Countries ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk

Abstract We ask whether the productivity advantage of internationalized firms documented by the international trade literature can be interpreted most accurately in terms of proximity to the “technological frontier”. We answer in the affirmative using a methodology (based on mixture models) of unbundling technology and total factor productivity (TFP) by estimating “technology-specific” production function parameters. Exploiting detailed data provided by the EFIGE database (a sample of firms distributed across Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the UK), we find technology gaps (with respect to the frontier) more than three times larger than the TFP gaps on average. We also find sizable technology advantages for firms undertaking foreign direct investment and/or exporting to other European Union countries or to China, for importers of materials, and for firms with competitors in China and the USA. Medium and large firms feature a higher technology premium, which is even higher for firms operating in country-sectors that are more exposed to import competition from China. Younger firms use better technologies but less effectively.

scholarly journals Memoranda of understanding: a tobacco industry strategy to undermine illicit tobacco trade policies

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (e2) ◽  
pp. e110-e118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Crosbie ◽  
Stella Bialous ◽  
Stanton A Glantz
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Accountability System ◽  
Philip Morris ◽  
The Media ◽  
Illicit Tobacco Trade ◽  
Transnational Tobacco Companies ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility Reports

ObjectiveAnalyse the transnational tobacco companies’ (TTCs) memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on illicit trade and how they could undermine the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol).MethodsReview of tobacco industry documents and websites, reports, news and media items using standard snowball search methods.ResultsFacing increasing pressure from governments and the FCTC to address illicit tobacco trade during the late 1990s, TTCs entered into voluntary partnerships embodied in MoUs with governments’ law enforcement and customs agencies. One of the earliest known MoUs was between Philip Morris International and Italy in 1999. TTCs agreed among themselves to establish MoUs individually but use the Italian MoU as a basis to establish similar connections with other governments to pre-empt more stringent regulation of illicit trade. TTCs report to have signed over 100 MoUs since 1999, and promote them on their websites, in Corporate Social Responsibility reports and in the media as important partnerships to combat illicit tobacco trade. There is no evidence to support TTCs’ claims that these MoUs reduce illicit trade. The terms of these MoUs are rarely made public. MoUs are non-transparent partnerships between government agencies and TTCs, violating FCTC Article 5.3 and the Protocol. MoUs are not legally binding so do not create an accountability system or penalties for non-compliance, rendering them ineffective at controlling illicit trade.ConclusionGovernments should reject TTC partnerships through MoUs and instead ratify and implement the FCTC and the Protocol to effectively address illicit trade in tobacco products.

‘Both Sides of the Argument’? A critical review of existing evidence on the illicit trade in tobacco products in Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (e2) ◽  
pp. e141-e147
Author(s):  
Julia Smith ◽  
Sheryl Thompson ◽  
Kelley Lee
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Tobacco Control Policies ◽  
Transnational Tobacco Companies

IntroductionThe illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP) is widely recognised as a substantial and complex problem in Canada. However, the independence of available data and quality of analyses remains unknown. Reliable and accurate data on the scale and causes of the problem are needed to inform effective policy responses.MethodsWe searched the scholarly and grey literature using keywords related to ITTP in Canada. We identified 26 studies published in English since 2008 that present original research drawing on primary data. We analysed these studies for their independence from the tobacco industry, methodology, findings and gaps in knowledge.ResultsThe study finds 42% of the literature reviewed has links to the tobacco industry. These studies provide insufficient methodological detail, present higher estimates of the volume of ITTP and attribute the causes to higher rates of tobacco taxation. The classification of all indigenous tobacco sales as illicit, by both industry linked and independent studies, contributes to overestimates and serves the interests of transnational tobacco companies. There is need for independent and comprehensive data on the ITTP in Canada over time, across population groups and geographies.ConclusionWhile there is evidence that the ITTP in Canada is a major and complex issue that requires effective tobacco control policies, there is a limited evidence base on which to develop such responses. This review finds industry-linked studies lack independence, employ biased methodologies and serve tobacco industry interests. Independent studies present more rigorous approaches, but primarily focus on youth and the province of Ontario.

scholarly journals Measuring the illicit cigarette market in Mexico: a cross validation of two methodologies

2020 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2019-055449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belen Saenz de Miera Juarez ◽  
Luz Myriam Reynales-Shigematsu ◽  
Michal Stoklosa ◽  
Kevin Welding ◽  
Jeffrey Drope
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
Cross Validation ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Cigarette Use ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Cigarette Packs

ObjectiveTo compare two methods to estimate the magnitude of the illicit cigarette trade in Mexico and to contrast these results with tobacco industry figures.MethodsWe used two survey methods: a smoker survey and a discarded pack survey. Data were collected in eight major cities in Mexico between November and December 2017. A total of 2396 face-to-face interviews to adult smokers were conducted and 8204 discarded packs were collected. To determine whether cigarette packs were intended for the Mexican market, we analysed pack features required by Mexican regulations and self-reported brands of the last purchase. Standard statistical tests to compare proportions were employed. Correlates of illicit cigarette use were also analysed.ResultsThe share of cigarettes not intended for the Mexican market was 8.8% based on the analysis of discarded packs and 7.6% based on the survey of smokers, that is, the difference was small and only borderline significant overall (p=0.055). Also, both results were lower than those presented by the tobacco industry (16.6%). However, differences across methods were statistically significant for various cities.ConclusionOur results suggest that the optimal practice for the study of illicit trade is to cross validate estimates using both the smoker survey and the littered pack survey. If resources are limited, however, our findings indicate that either method could be used because both yield similar overall results, as longs as the potential biases are considered. Also, consistent with findings from other studies, our results suggest that the tobacco industry exaggerates the scope of illicit cigarette trade.

The Impact of E-Cigarette Regulation on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products in the European Union

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Prieger ◽  
Mark Kleiman ◽  
Jonathan Kulick ◽  
Alberto Aziani ◽  
Michael Levi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Quantile regression of tobacco tax pass-through in the UK 2013–2019. How have manufacturers passed through tax changes for different tobacco products?

2020 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-055931
Author(s):  
Luke Brian Wilson ◽  
Robert Pryce ◽  
Rosemary Hiscock ◽  
Colin Angus ◽  
Alan Brennan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantile Regression ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Price Distribution ◽  
Tobacco Tax ◽  
Quantile Regression Analysis ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Tax Changes

BackgroundThe effectiveness of tax increases relies heavily on the tobacco industry passing on such increases to smokers (also referred to as ‘pass-through’). Previous research has found heterogeneous levels of tax pass-through across the market segments of tobacco products available to smokers. This study uses retail sales data to assess the extent to which recent tax changes have been passed on to smokers and whether this varies across the price distribution.MethodsWe use panel data quantile regression analysis on Nielsen commercial data of tobacco price and sales in the UK from January 2013 to March 2019 combined with official UK tax rates and inflation to calculate the rate of tax pass-through for factory made (FM) cigarettes and roll your own (RYO) tobacco.ResultsFollowing increases in the specific tax payable on tobacco, we find evidence of overshifting across the price distribution for both FM and RYO. The rate of the overshift in tax increased the more expensive the products were. This was consistent for FM and RYO. Additionally, our findings suggest that the introduction of standardised packaging was not followed by changes in how the tobacco industry responded to tax increases.ConclusionsFollowing the repeated introduction of increases in specific tobacco tax as well as standardised packaging, we show that the tobacco industry applies techniques to keep the cheapest tobacco cheaper relative to the more expensive products when passing on tax increases to smokers.

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