In Indonesia, a tobacco company distorts graphic health warnings

A study on compliance with health warnings on cigarette packages has revealed that an Indonesian tobacco company is cutting out part of the warnings and reinserting them inside the flap. This alert, issued by the researchers, of circumvention of the regulations comes as Indonesia considers strengthening its health warning system.

Cigarette packs have long been used as communication tools by tobacco companies. This practice has been further reinforced by the advertising bans adopted in many countries.

Proven measures in a comprehensive tobacco control strategy include the inclusion of large health warnings on packages, combined with visuals. Scientifically validated, these warnings inform consumers of the dangers of smoking and provide prevention messages to non-smokers who are also exposed to these messages. Some countries have supplemented these health warnings by introducing standardized plain packaging.

Tobacco manufacturers have consistently opposed these provisions and often seek to circumvent them. Ensuring that health regulations are being properly observed, however, requires monitoring. It was during one of these surveillance studies that American researchers identified unprecedented violations by an Indonesian cigarette manufacturer.

Cutouts on the front surface and inserts in the flap of the package

The researchers followed the Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS) protocol, which verifies the compliance of cigarette packs with the country's current regulations on this type of packaging.[1]They carried out systematic surveys of cigarette packets sold in Indonesia.[2]Some of these cigarette packs featured bow-tie-shaped cutouts in the graphic health warning (GHW) on the front of the pack. The truncated GWA was reproduced on the inside flap of the pack, and in some cases was adorned with a Chinese character and its English translation. Consisting of a single word, these inscriptions read “Wisdom,” “Prosperity,” or “Longevity,” three terms commonly used in Chinese culture to convey good wishes to others.

These cigarette packs are produced by PT. Sumatra Tobacco Trading Company (PT.STTC), a second-tier Indonesian company. It exports its products to China, Southeast Asia, the United States, Russia, the Middle East, and South America. The Indonesian market, where clove-flavored cigarettes predominate, is concentrated among three players: Gudang Garam, Philip Morris/Sampoerna, and Djarum.

A clear violation of Indonesian law

The authors consider the cuts made by PT.STTC in the graphic health warnings as an attempt by manufacturers to circumvent their obligations. By cutting out part of these ASGs, PT.STTC is violating the legislation requiring AVGs to cover 40 % of the front and back surfaces of cigarette packs. The cuts made impair the visibility and legibility of the ASGs and induce a form of distortion likely to reduce their effectiveness. The use of Chinese characters and references to Chinese culture appear to be particularly targeted at the Indonesian Chinese community, which represents a significant portion of the population.

The authors of the study believe that Indonesian authorities should prohibit this type of practice all the more so as they plan to increase the surface area of ASG on packages.

The world's second largest tobacco producer, Indonesia had 70.2 million smokers in 2021. It is also one of the few countries in the world that has not ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Sometimes considered "a playground for tobacco companies," it now appears to be torn between the influence of tobacco lobbies and the development of the consequences of smoking among the highest in the world among men (63 %).

To learn more about Indonesia, check out our decryption.

Keywords: Indonesia, graphic health warnings,

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[1] About TPackSS, Global Tobacco Control.

[2] Amalia B, Nguyen N, Welding K, et al. Another day, another tobacco company's devious behavior: cutout health warning labels on Indonesian cigarette packs. Tobacco Control, Published Online First: 18 October 2023. doi: 10.1136/tc-2023-058239