Changes in Compliance with Bans on Tobacco Product Display and Advertising at Traditional and Modern Point-of-Sale Retailers in Depok, Indonesia, 2019-2021.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Banning Point-of-Sale (POS) advertising and product display is an important tobacco control strategy. Depok, Indonesia enacted some regional tobacco control policies regulating the POS environment in 2021. This study examined changes in compliance before and after the implementation of these policies as of 2021. METHODS: Data collectors visited 180 modern retailers (hyper/supermarkets/convenience stores) and 147 traditional retailers (warungs) in 2019. The same retailers were re-visited in 2021. Data collectors assessed compliance with tobacco product display, and advertising regulations at POS, including if products were displayed in spaces to target minors (near candy or at a child's eye-level). Data were analyzed using McNemar and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: From 2019 to 2021, in modern retailers, tobacco product display (95.6% vs 52.2%) and product advertising (36.1% vs 3.9%) were significantly reduced (p<0.001). In traditional retailers, tobacco product display (94.6% in 2019, 91.2% in 2021, p>0.05) and product advertising (87.1% in 2019, 87.8% in 2021, p>0.05) remained common during both data collection periods. Tobacco products were commonly displayed in spaces to target minors in both modern retailers (43.3% in 2019, 34.4% in 2021, p>0.05) and traditional retailers (90.5% in 2019, 83.0% in 2021, p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with bans on tobacco product advertising and display at modern retailers improved significantly from 2019 to 2021; however, most modern retailers continue to display tobacco products in 2021. Traditional retailers remain largely non-compliant. Tobacco products are commonly displayed in areas that target minors. The enforcement of regional regulations should be strengthened, particularly among traditional retailers. IMPLICATIONS In Depok, Indonesia, tobacco advertising and product display bans have been implemented; however, more work is needed to support compliance. Enforcement efforts, such as those carried out by civil police, can focus on tobacco product display bans in traditional and modern retailers, and traditional retailers need additional support to remove tobacco product advertising. Retailers may receive money from the tobacco industry for these advertisements. Creative solutions may include supporting retailers in finding alternative advertising revenue.