Vaping products - tightening rules on advertising and promoting: consultation analysis

8 Trade-only Event

The Scottish Government proposes that exemptions should be introduced to permit advertising at trade-only events such as trade shows and conferences. The Scottish Government view is that this does not fall under advertising to the general public and would not promote uptake of NVPs.

8.1 Question 7 – Trade-only events

Do you support the proposal to introduce exemptions to allow advertising at trade-only events?

Table A7 (Appendix A) provides the quantitative response to Question 7.

There is broad support for the proposal among respondents:

• 60.2% of all respondents support the proposal to introduce exemptions to allow advertising at trade-only events. The level of support among organisation respondents is higher than among individual respondents (73.0% and 59.5%). Among organisation respondents this includes health organisations, local government, and the vaping sector.
• 27.9% of all respondents do not support the proposal. Individuals are more likely than organisations to not support the proposal (29.0% and 8.1% respectively). Among organisation respondents this includes the tobacco industry.

8.1.1 Potential confusion about the question

There appears to be some confusion among respondents (mostly individuals, but also one tobacco industry respondent) with this question as 75% of comments from those that do not support the proposal (i.e. answered “No” to the closed question”) make points in support of it.

“Advertising at a Trade Event for members of that trade where the general public are not invited should be encouraged as it allows its members to gain information on new products to assist in helping reduce tobacco smoking in the UK”.

Individual

It may be that the since the pro-vaping response in all previous questions was “No” that many of these respondents responded “No” to Question 7 in line with their previous answers. Therefore, support for this proposal among all respondents may be higher than 60.2%.

8.1.2 Respondents who support the proposal

Just over one-sixth of respondents who support the proposal to introduce exemptions to allow advertising at trade-only events provide further explanation.

Theme 1: A need to promote the benefits of vaping over smoking

A common view (e.g. individual respondents, the vaping sector, and tobacco industry) is that this type of advertising is beneficial to encourage smokers to take up vaping and quit tobacco.

“The more people that know about vaping the more help it can be in attaining the ultimate goal of saving lives and becoming a smoke free society”.

Individual

Theme 2: No point in trade shows without advertising

There are several respondents (individuals, the vaping sector, and tobacco industry) who feel that there is not much point in having a trade show if advertising at it is to be banned.

“Not much point having a trade only event if you can't advertise your product. No one would find themselves accidentally at such an event”.

Individual

8.1.3 Respondents who disagree with the proposal

Just under one-tenth of respondents who did not support the proposal to introduce exemptions to allow advertising at trade-only events provide further explanation.

As noted above, most of these comments (mostly from individual respondents) raise points in support of the Scottish Government proposal.

Theme 1: Support for a blanket ban due to health harms of vaping

Of those that appear to genuinely oppose the proposal (all individual respondents), the main comments are that:

• Respondents feel there should be a blanket ban on advertising vaping products anywhere.
• Respondents feel there should be no exceptions due to the addictive nature and health harms associated with vaping.