Tag: advertising

  • UKVIA Seeking Clarity on Vape Advertising Notice

    UKVIA Seeking Clarity on Vape Advertising Notice

    Photo: New Africa

    The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) is seeking clarification following the recent Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) enforcement notice on the prohibition of vaping ads on social media.

    The UKVIA is particularly concerned that “factual (nonpromotional) information” should only be made available to those who have “actively and specifically sought it out,” which would limit such content to social media accounts set to “private.”

    The industry group is especially worried that this means factual posts, such as repeating evidence-based statistics such as vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking, for its annual VApril Vape Awareness Month will now be deemed unlawful.

    “Around 40 percent of U.K. smokers wrongly believe that vaping is at least as harmful as, or even more harmful than, cigarettes, which suggests we need more evidence-based vaping facts on social media, not less,” the UKVIA wrote in a statement.

    One of the main aims of VApril is to use both paid and organic posts on LinkedIn, X and Facebook to give facts to smokers to help them make informed decisions over how they consume nicotine.

    The CAP says that after March 28, it will enforce restrictions under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, which prohibit “ads that have the direct or indirect effect of promoting nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products” from being shown in most social media.

    The Enforcement Notice says: “Electronic cigarette ads are prohibited in any online media where content is shared to users who have not specifically sought it out.

    “This means paid-for display ads in all online space are prohibited, but it also means that regular, non-paid-for posts and content in social media, which might get shared by an algorithm to users, are prohibited too.”

    The Advertising Standards Authority will hold a webinar on March 21 where the rules on social media vape ads will be explained.

  • Switzerland Set to Ban Vape, Tobacco Advertising

    Switzerland Set to Ban Vape, Tobacco Advertising

    Credit: Anthony Brown

    Switzerland will ban advertising of tobacco products and e-cigarettes aimed at young people, the government said, implementing a decision passed in a referendum last year.

    The cabinet said it would strengthen its already planned restrictions to bar advertising in places and media where young people can see it.

    The new laws will come into force from mid-2026, and strengthen restrictions on packaging and advertising on tobacco and e-cigarettes due to take effect from next year, reports Reuters.

    The move, which will affect print media, online advertising and festivals, is designed to reduce tobacco consumption and related deaths.

    Smoking remains relatively widespread in Switzerland with 9,500 people dying prematurely every year as a result of tobacco consumption, the government said, describing it as one of the country’s biggest public health problems.

    “Tobacco use causes numerous non-communicable diseases, and the cost of their medical treatment amounts to 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.37 billion) per year,” the government said.

    In future, no advertising for tobacco products or e-cigarettes will be allowed in print media, shops or events which can be visited by minors.

    In addition, sponsorship of events which people under 18 attend will be banned. Online advertising will be still permitted provided age control systems are in place.

    The tighter restrictions follow the success of the referendum “Yes to the protection of children and youths from tobacco advertising,” which was approved by 57% of Swiss voters in February 2022.

  • Scotland may Consider Display Ban for E-Cigarettes

    Scotland may Consider Display Ban for E-Cigarettes

    Credit: Paolo Giovanni

    A lawmaker in Scotland wants to ban the public display of e-cigarettes in retail shops. Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay wants retailers to treat them in the same way as cigarettes and hide them from view.

    “This is beyond the days of smoking behind the bike sheds – this is a multi-million industry leading the nation’s health down a path to disaster,” Mackay said. “It is a ticking time-bomb and, until we know more, that’s not a risk I or anyone else should be asked to accept.”

    She has written to shops and vape manufacturers ahead of taking her campaign to the Scottish Parliament, according to the Daily Record.

    Mackay, the Green Party’s health spokesman, said there is growing concern that the number of under-age people being attracted by “deliberately sweet-toothed tactics” to market products is spiralling.

    She is calling on retailers to lead by example by writing to them urging that they hide the products from view.