Study suggests novel ways to use e-cigarette packaging to better protect consumers

E-cigarette packaging could be used to encourage smokers to switch to vaping and deter non-smokers from taking up the habit, according to new research from the University of Stirling.

Blurry showcase in vape shop close up

E-cigarette packaging could be used to encourage smokers to switch to vaping and deter non-smokers from taking up the habit, according to new research from the University of Stirling.

A study funded by Cancer Research UK and led by experts from the Institute of Social Marketing and Health, recruited 31 young people (11–17 years old) and 39 adults in England and Scotland to explore how warning messages on e-cigarette and refill packaging are perceived and whether alternative messages could help encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes.

A photograph of Dr Daniel Jones, a white male dressed in a shirt, tie and suit jacket
Dr Daniel Jones
Research Fellow in the Institute for Social Marketing and Health
We know packaging can play a crucial role in communicating product and health messages to consumers. More work is needed to better understand how packaging and labelling can help prevent uptake among young people and non-nicotine users while simultaneously reaching those who may benefit from using e-cigarettes to stop smoking.

While some participants thought the current nicotine addiction warning – required under UK regulations –  helped increase awareness of nicotine addiction, the majority reported that it failed to capture attention and did not act as a deterrent to vaping. Participants suggested several ways that packaging could help to reduce the appeal of the products to young people and non-nicotine users.

Dr Daniel Jones, from the research team at the University of Stirling, said: “Most studies on warnings on e-cigarette packs are US-based or quantitative. Understanding of the potential impact of the nicotine warning required in the UK and alternative warning themes is relatively limited.

“Through the focus groups we found that although people generally felt warnings are important, the warning required on e-cigarette packaging about nicotine addictiveness was not considered useful. They were sceptical of this message, which was viewed as an afterthought or ‘tick-box’ activity to meet the legislative requirements. Some participants spontaneously suggested that, like traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes could have larger warnings, be sold in plain packaging, and have warnings not only on packaging, which is often discarded, but on devices themselves to increase exposure.”

Alternative warnings

Researchers collected views on what type of alternative warnings people thought would be effective, and showed participants mocked-up e-cigarette packaging with alternative messages about harm, relative risk, toxicity, litter and wellness. 

The relative risk messages, for example “Completely switching to e-cigarettes is a healthier alternative to smoking”, were considered, at least by some smokers, as most likely to encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes. However, they were also thought to potentially encourage uptake among non-nicotine users.

Dr Jones added: “We know packaging can play a crucial role in communicating product and health messages to consumers. More work is needed to better understand how packaging and labelling can help prevent uptake among young people and non-nicotine users while simultaneously reaching those who may benefit from using e-cigarettes to stop smoking.”

The research ‘The role of e-cigarette packaging as a health communications tool: A focus group study with adolescents and adults in England and Scotland’ is published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.