Out of country tobacco purchases decrease despite a price increase and plain packaging in France

Abstract

Background The introduction of new anti-tobacco measures in France (plain tobacco packaging, higher prices) might encourage smokers to buy their tobacco from other sources than tobacco shops. We examine whether these measures increased the likelihood of smokers purchasing tobacco abroad, depending on their driving distance from the border of a neighboring country with lower tobacco prices. Methods DePICT is a two-wave cross sectional national telephone survey examining the French population tobacco-related perceptions and behaviors before and after the introduction of the new measures in 2017. Smokers were asked whether they bought tobacco from abroad in the last 12 months. Shortest driving distances to neighboring countries’ border were calculated using Google Maps (<100 Km, 100-200 Km, 200-300 Km, >300 Km and Ile-de-France (IDF)). Data was weighted to be representative of the population living in France. Multivariate regressions, adjusted on socio-demographic characteristics as well as substance use behaviors, were carried out. Results Compared to smokers living at more than 300 Km from a border, those living near a border, and in IDF were significantly more likely to have bought tobacco from abroad (<100 Km: ORadjusted = 3.98; 100-200 Km: ORadjusted = 2.04; 200-300 Km: ORadjusted = 1.47; IDF: ORadjusted = 1.32). Smokers in wave 2 (n = 929) were significantly less likely than those in wave 1 (n = 1238) to have bought tobacco abroad (ORadjusted = 0.81 [95% CI: 0.69-0.96]). It was mainly smokers who were in a driving distances of 100-200 Km, and 200-300 Km who were significantly less likely to buy abroad across the 2 waves (respectively ORadjusted = 0.56 [95% CI: 0.34-0.92] and ORadjusted = 0.50 [95% CI: 0.27-0.92]). Supplementary analyses showed that it was mainly for men and smokers born in France that the decrease was significant. Conclusions Our results suggest that the new anti-tobacco measures did not increase out of country tobacco purchases by smokers. Key messages The introduction of new anti-smoking measures (increase in price, plain tobacco packaging) did not increase the likelihood of smokers purchasing tobacco from abroad. It was mainly male smokers and smokers born in France that had a decreased likelihood of purchasing tobacco from abroad after the introduction of new anti-tobacco measures.