Decrease in cross-border tobacco purchases despite intensification of antitobacco policies in France

Recently, France has intensified tobacco control policies which included gradual increase in tobacco product price and the introduction of plain packaging. However, there has been suggestion that cross-border tobacco purchases from neighbouring countries, with lower tobacco prices, will increase. We examine trends in cross-border tobacco purchases among smokers concurrent with the implementation of tobacco control measures between 2016 and 2017.

Description des Perceptions, Images, et Comportements liés au Tabagisme is a two-wave cross-sectional national telephone survey of French adults aged 18-64 years, which recruited a total of 2167 smokers (2016: n=1238; 2017: n=929). Data were weighted to be representative of the French adult population. The association between study wave and cross-country tobacco purchases was examined across study waves using a multivariable logistic regression model (adjusted ORs: OR_a (95% CI)).

Less than half (38.5%) of smokers declared cross-border tobacco purchases in the last year, which were mostly done on occasional basis: 22.6% purchased tobacco cross-border once or twice yearly. In 2017, as compared with 2016, cross-border tobacco purchases by French smokers decreased (OR_a=0.81, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.98). Other factors associated with cross-border tobacco purchases included sex, and driving distance to a border.

In France, the increase in tobacco product price and the introduction of plain packaging did not contribute to increasing rates of out-of-country purchases of tobacco products, probably due to the overall decrease in smoking levels. However, a harmonisation of tobacco product prices and plain packaging policies across Europe might further improve tobacco control throughout the continent.