BACKGROUND: Argentina enacted the National Tobacco Control Law Nº 26.687 (NTCL) in 2011. This regulation imposes broad restrictions on the advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco products, including specific limitations on how these products can be marketed at points of sale. Given that points of sale represent a key marketing channel for the tobacco industry, FIC Argentina has conducted several studies (2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2023) to evaluate compliance with NTCL standards in convenience stores and to analyze the marketing strategies employed by the tobacco industry.
METHODS: In 2023, the study was conducted in ten Argentine provinces and assessed 512 convenience stores. Data collection was based on the "California Tobacco Advertising Study," developed by the California Department of Public Health. This instrument was adapted and validated for use in Argentina, and a pilot study was conducted locally before implementation. Inter-rater agreement was assessed both before and after fieldwork to ensure consistency.
RESULTS: Results show that 90% of the points of sale present some kind of tobacco advertisement and 46,7% do not accomplish the standards established by the NTCL. The most used advertising strategy is the exhibition of tobacco products for decorative or sales purposes (87,1%) and the presence of signs that advertise tobacco products, presenting slogans, or references related to them (46,1%).
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights not only a significant deficit in implementation but also various strategies employed by the tobacco industry to exploit loopholes in the regulations. Ensuring full compliance with existing laws is imperative, alongside advancing toward a complete ban on tobacco advertising at points of sale.