Tobacco Documents Online

Focus Groups Country Reports Draft Report - Germany CONTENTS 1/ Introduction Objectives Methodology 2/ National cigarette consumption trends 3/ Legislative status Workplaces and public places Transport 4/ Summary results of other relevant studies/surveys Infratest 1993 Eurobarometer 1993 FORSA public places survey 5/ Focus Group findings Attitudes towards smoking Location Trends Role of authorities/ institutions Position of tobacco industry Smoking issues communications Current industry / PM smoking debate initiatives Evaluation of various campaigns Recommendations for future advertising campaigns Industry youth campaigns Retailer campaigns 6/ Conclusions 7/ Recommendations

1. - Introduction Objectives ° To examine potential role of advertising and below-the-line initiatives in moderating the smoking debate ° To establish most effective communication platforms and messages ° To investigate the viability of other initiatives, e.g. youth campaigns ° To establish most appropriate level of PM branding / visibility on any communications Methodology and sample ° 6 discussion groups of 6-8 participants lasting 2 hrs. ° Groups: mature male businessmen; up-and coming businessmen; female businesswomen; female admin. and clerical; blue collar men; students ° Composition: 50% smokers and 50% non-smokers; extreme anti-smokers excluded 2. National cigarette consumption trends The smoking incidence over the last five years has remained relatively stable with a slight downward tendency: 88 89 90 91 92 Total cig. consump. 117.000 117.600 121.500 145.600 133.100 % of total pop. 31% 30% 29% 30% 29% % of female pop. 25% 24% 23% 24% 23% % of male pop. 37% 35% 35% 35% 34% N.B. 88 - 90 - West Germany only; 91 - 92 East and West Germany combined 3. Legislative status: Workplaces & public places: Current: *Federal level: article 5 of the 1982 Ordinance requires employers to "provide sufficient fresh air" at the workplace but it is not tobacco specific. *State level: 16 Bundeslaender and the cities have narrow competency to regulate; they can only restrict smoking in government-owned buildings. Proposed: A CDU private member's bill (Rolf Sauer) has been introduced severely restricting banning smoking in public places, the workplace and on public transport ; SPD health working group will also study a proposal by Mrs. Sceichwalch to restrict smoking in public places and the workplace.

Transport : Federal total smoking ban on commuter trains, urban buses or regular services and underground trains. Areas for non-smokers are provided in non -commuter trains, aeroplanes and stations. 4. Summary results of other relevant studies/surveys a) Infratest study on attitudes to smoking in Germany - 1993 ° Increasing belief in alleged health risks of ETS ° Smokers and non-smokers agree on need for smokers to show more courtesy ° Only smokers see need for more tolerance from non-smokers but not reciprocated ° Smokers do not yet feel under significant extra pressure ° Conflicts over smoking not increasing at present ° Individual/group negotiation still favoured over govt. regulation, which is seen as increasingly likely. -46% of non-smokers and 19% of smokers favour smoking bans at the workplace. -Only 25% of the non-smokers said that the government should regulate smokers/non- smokers relations, while 75% said that finding a modus vivendi should be left to the individuals concerned. b) Eurobarometer German results of the Eurobarometer survey (March 1993) show that: 92% have personally read or heard about "passive smoking" 75% claim to be frequently exposed to ETS 28% see ETS as a cause of discomfort and 49% think it can cause serious illnesses such as cancer 78% are in favour of smoking bans in public places while 19% are against 88% are in favour of separated areas in the workplace 52% prefer an agreement between colleagues to solve smoking issue while 37% prefer a management decision ~ 49% believe there are regulations at the workplace o 88% think regulations are generally respected. ~ ~ c) Forsa public places survex ~ A recent survey conducted by the Forsa Institute upon the request of RTL TV among 501 people shows that: 65% are in favour of smoking bans in public places 40% of the smokers were in favour of bans 78% were in favour of a ban in East Germany compared to 61% in West Germany.

5. Focus group findings Attitudes towards smokinja . ° Still socially acceptable - few feelings of guilt or character weakness amongst smokers - matter of individual choice ° Relationship between smokers and non-smokers characterised by TOLERANCE; CO-OPERATION; UNDERSTANDING. ° Negotiation and compromise favoured to resolve smoking issues ° Students show strong evidence of growing intolerance and polarisation due to ETS Location ° Workplace : increasing sensitivity; individual agreement still favoured; evidence of company - imposed smoking restrictions and bans being introduced ° Transport : general bans accepted; strong non-smoker desire for airline bans ° Restaurants/pubs/cafes: smoking expected and accepted Trends ° ETS debate and growing health awareness adversely affecting younger people's acceptance of smoking ° Smokers feel under increasing pressure to justify behaviour ° ALL AGREE THAT PRESSURE ON SMOKERS WILL INCREASE AND LEGISLATION MORE LIKELY ° ALL AGREE ON NEED TO DEFUSE DEBATE AND AVOID INSTITUTIONAL REGULATION Role of authorities/institutions ° Legislation rejected. ° Public/state organisations should promote dialogue and co-operation ° Smoking restrictions accepted where individual solutions are difficult - (public buildings and workplace) Position of tobacco industry ° Negatively viewed : not credible; purely profit-oriented ° Cigarette advertising seen as directed at young people reduces credibility of industry ° Some limited sympathy for industry due to perceived exploitation by state for tax revenues (whipping boys). ° Appeal for dialogue/tolerance only viable communications option open to the industry Smoking issues communications ° Virtually no recall of any communications campaigns on smoking debate ° Desire for dialogue and defusing of debate leaves window of opportunity for communications efforts ° Principle of such campaign positively received by smokers and non-smokers ° Conflicts over smoking not increasing at present N) cn 0 Yl W ~ ~ w W -0

Current industry / PM smoking debate initiatives ° No campaign on theme of dialogue/courtesy/co-operation ° Limited campaign in union / retailer press underlining how many smokers there are (24 million in Germany) and their potential economic/political influence Evaluation of various campaigns Visual of each campaign with brief strengths and weaknesses - TO BE ADDED Recommendations for future advertising campaigns ° Execution - photo or cartoon; real-life situations ° Text - short, memorable. ° Balance - emphasis on illustration ° Content - communication, co-operation; dialogue; self-regulation AVOID patience and politeness ° Style - light, love of life to DEFUSE debate. AVOID didactic tone ° Signature - visibility of tobacco industry : reduces credibility but co-signature of campaign with coalition of interested parties, e.g. unions, HORECA, viable alternative ° Media - print and external advertising most appropriate (least intrusive) below the line initiatives ( stickers, tent cards in restaurants etc.) seen as too pointed and intrusive. Industry youth campaigns ° Universally rejected as not credible - contradictory to industry interests ° Seen as surreptitious smoking promotion BUT ° Concrete initiatives such as special access cards for vending machines to prevent youth purchases have credibility Retailer campai ns ° Also seen as not credible and surreptitious youth marketing ° Tobacco industry seen as "guilty party" seeking to place responsibility on retailer who has secondary role. 6. Conclusions ° Smoking is still socially acceptable in Germany amongst all groups with evidence of hardening non-smoker attitudes amongst younger people (students) ° Health-related concerns indicate pressure on smoking and smokers will increase ° All groups expect pressure to increase making legislation more likely ° Climate still favours self-regulation and generally rejects formal legislation ° Perceived need for smoking rules in public places and workplace a ° Agreement by all on need to defuse the smoking debate offers window of µ opportunity for mitigating communications efforts m ~ w .p 0

7: Recommendations ° PM to work with VdC to develop communications campaign highlighting solutions and need for dialogue ° Make younger age groups key target audience ° Approach allies, e.g. unions, for coalition signature ° Consider legislative action plan including "minimum restrictions" provision for workplace