Exposing tobacco companies’ retail presence and highlighting regulatory options

Hussein A. Faeq; Rosemary Hiscock; Raouf Alebshehy

doi:10.18332/tpc/211478

Exposing tobacco companies’ retail presence and highlighting regulatory options

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

Abstract

Although much is already known about the strategies that tobacco companies use to generate profits (and consequently compromise health), and options for retail regulation, industry tactics within the retail environment have not been comprehensively collated. Tobacco companies’ billions of dollars of investments in retail play a vital role in normalizing tobacco products in everyday life because they are an everyday sight. These investments include for example retailer incentives, instore advertising and display stands. Companies continue to promote their tobacco products indirectly through retailer-related activities in many countries because they are often not included in governments’ tobacco marketing restrictions. In light of this, in this monitoring letter, we highlight some of the industry's tactics to control the retail environment and discuss potential solutions to counter its strategic presence in retail

Original language	English
Article number	20
Number of pages	5
Journal	Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
Volume	12
Early online date	11 Apr 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.18332/tpc/211478
Publication status	Published - 11 Apr 2026

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created.

Funding

This work is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies as part of the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (www.bloomberg.org). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

policy solutions to tobacco retailing
retailer incentive programs
targeted tobacco marketing
tobacco industry targeting retail environment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Epidemiology
Health(social science)
Health Professions (miscellaneous)
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Access to Document

10.18332/tpc/211478Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "Although much is already known about the strategies that tobacco companies use to generate profits (and consequently compromise health), and options for retail regulation, industry tactics within the retail environment have not been comprehensively collated. Tobacco companies{\textquoteright} billions of dollars of investments in retail play a vital role in normalizing tobacco products in everyday life because they are an everyday sight. These investments include for example retailer incentives, instore advertising and display stands. Companies continue to promote their tobacco products indirectly through retailer-related activities in many countries because they are often not included in governments{\textquoteright} tobacco marketing restrictions. In light of this, in this monitoring letter, we highlight some of the industry's tactics to control the retail environment and discuss potential solutions to counter its strategic presence in retail",

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AU - Faeq, Hussein A.

AU - Hiscock, Rosemary

AU - Alebshehy, Raouf

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N2 - Although much is already known about the strategies that tobacco companies use to generate profits (and consequently compromise health), and options for retail regulation, industry tactics within the retail environment have not been comprehensively collated. Tobacco companies’ billions of dollars of investments in retail play a vital role in normalizing tobacco products in everyday life because they are an everyday sight. These investments include for example retailer incentives, instore advertising and display stands. Companies continue to promote their tobacco products indirectly through retailer-related activities in many countries because they are often not included in governments’ tobacco marketing restrictions. In light of this, in this monitoring letter, we highlight some of the industry's tactics to control the retail environment and discuss potential solutions to counter its strategic presence in retail

AB - Although much is already known about the strategies that tobacco companies use to generate profits (and consequently compromise health), and options for retail regulation, industry tactics within the retail environment have not been comprehensively collated. Tobacco companies’ billions of dollars of investments in retail play a vital role in normalizing tobacco products in everyday life because they are an everyday sight. These investments include for example retailer incentives, instore advertising and display stands. Companies continue to promote their tobacco products indirectly through retailer-related activities in many countries because they are often not included in governments’ tobacco marketing restrictions. In light of this, in this monitoring letter, we highlight some of the industry's tactics to control the retail environment and discuss potential solutions to counter its strategic presence in retail

KW - policy solutions to tobacco retailing

KW - retailer incentive programs

KW - targeted tobacco marketing

KW - tobacco industry targeting retail environment

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VL - 12

JO - Tobacco Prevention & Cessation

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ER -

Exposing tobacco companies’ retail presence and highlighting regulatory options

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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