Cigarette brands with flavour capsules in the filter: trends in use and brand perceptions among smokers in the USA, Mexico and Australia, 2012-2014.
OBJECTIVE
To describe trends, correlates of use and consumer perceptions related to the product design innovation of flavour capsules in cigarette filters.


METHODS
Quarterly surveys from 2012 to 2014 were analysed from an online consumer panel of adult smokers aged 18-64, living in the USA (n=6865 observations; 4154 individuals); Mexico (n=5723 observations; 3366 individuals); and Australia (n=5864 observations; 2710 individuals). Preferred brand varieties were classified by price (ie, premium; discount) and flavour (ie, regular; flavoured without capsule; flavoured with capsule). Participants reported their preferred brand variety's appeal (ie, satisfaction; stylishness), taste (ie, smoothness, intensity), and harm relative to other brands and varieties. GEE models were used to determine time trends and correlates of flavour capsule use, as well as associations between preferred brand characteristics (ie, price stratum, flavour) and perceptions of relative appeal, taste and harm.


RESULTS
Preference for flavour capsules increased significantly in Mexico (6% to 14%) and Australia (1% to 3%), but not in the USA (4% to 5%). 18-24 year olds were most likely to prefer capsules in the USA (10%) and Australia (4%), but not Mexico. When compared to smokers who preferred regular brands, smokers who preferred brands with capsules viewed their variety of cigarettes as having more positive appeal (all countries), better taste (all countries), and lesser risk (Mexico, USA) than other brand varieties.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that use of cigarettes with flavour capsules is growing, is associated with misperceptions of relative harm, and differentiates brands in ways that justify regulatory action.
Department of Health Promotion, Education & Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
James F
JF
Thrasher
Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Erika N
EN
Abad-Vivero
University of Stirling, Scotland, UK.
Crawford
C
Moodie
Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Richard J
RJ
O'Connor
School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
David
D
Hammond
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
K Michael
KM
Cummings
Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
Hua-Hie
HH
Yong
Department of Health Services Policy & Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA.
Ramzi G
RG
Salloum
School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Christine
C
Czoli
Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Luz Myriam
LM
Reynales-Shigematsu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003132:Commerce; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D005421:Flavoring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D011356:Product Labeling; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste; D055697:Taste Perception; D013997:Time Factors; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
D005421:Flavoring Agents
Advertising and Promotion; Packaging and Labelling; Surveillance and monitoring