Data manipulation: a tobacco industry tactic to promote disinformation
13 May 2020
Par: chef-projet@dnf.asso.fr
Dernière mise à jour: 13 May 2020
Temps de lecture: 3 minutes
Based on data provided by Logista, the leading distributor of tobacco products in France, Seita Imperial Brands announces an increase in sales in April 2020[1]However, looking more closely at these data, Génération sans tabac can only regret the media publicity that this erroneous communication is currently receiving.
According to the tobacco company, sales of tobacco products increased by 23.7% between April 1 and 30, and can be explained by the closing of borders, bringing back to the French market consumers who usually bought their supplies in neighboring countries.
However, based on this same data, customs have made available an infographic detailing the evolution of sales for different tobacco products.[2]. Decreases of 5,18% for mainland France and 32,91% for Corsica were recorded for cigarette sales which, as a reminder, represent 80% of the tobacco products market.
The difference is explained by the calculation method. Seita, having compared the data from April 2020 with that of March 2020, compared things that were not comparable. Only a comparison of the data from April 2020 with that of April 2019 could provide information on the evolution of sales.
Worse still, in his press release, Seita uses this percentage to discredit French tax policies intended to reduce smoking and promotes, instead, other tobacco products like the electronic cigarette. This clearly shows a desire to misinform the public in order to arouse a certain opposition to state measures designed to stop the leading cause of preventable death.
Based on the data collected, it appears that cross-border tobacco consumers purchasing supplies from neighbouring markets represent only a small proportion of French sales and that a strengthening of the European taxation policy is necessary to avoid this phenomenon.
[1] Seita Imperial Tobacco, Tobacco sales increased by 23.71% in French tobacconists in April, raising questions about the real number of smokers in France, www.seita.fr (accessed May 12, 2020).
[2] General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Taxes, Tobacco sales in France, www.douane.gouv.fr (May 2020 - consulted on May 12, 2020).
