Premium and super-premium tobacco brand companies could potentially lose significant market share once the ban on tobacco products has been lifted, a new study conducted amongst the smoking population of Port Elizabeth reveals.
Of the 200 respondents surveyed by local research company Real Research, 33% will most likely not return to their original brand once the ban has been lifted, opting rather for the more affordable and cheaper brands that have been flooding the market after the sale and purchase of cigarettes and other tobacco products has been prohibited in South Africa towards the end of March.
The study conducted in June this year uncovered that although 92% of respondents used to support a brand for the image, the score has dropped significantly to 16%.
The study found that although premium and super-premium brands such as Peter Stuyvesant, Camel, Marlboro and Dunhill were ‘findable’ the heavy price tag ranging from R120 – R190, resulted in smokers turning to cheaper brands such as JFK, Savannah and Chicago which are by far the most available and accessible to purchase at a price of around R60 each (pre-ban cost was R10 – R18 per box). Pacific, D2 and F1, as well as some Chinese brands, are also now starting to arrive from outside South African borders.
Also, the ban has had very little effect, if any, on curbing smoking. With 93% still purchasing cigarettes split between 66% males and 34% females, only a quarter tried to quit during the ban at a success rate of only 2%. The main methods were 47% electronic, 28% medication and 25% tried “cold-turkey”. The largest profile who have managed to quit were females under the age of 25.
Personal usage had changed drastically, with the average male user who pre-ban smoked around 15 per day, now increased to 17 and average female user smoking 9 per day decreased to 7. However, the age groups 46-55 across both male and female were smoking more than their normal average.
Respondents were reluctant to name the source of their suppliers, however, the feedback was insightful. 46% were buying cigarettes freely, under the counter, from their regularly frequented corner cafes of which 87% were foreign-owned.
WhatsApp groups supply 44% of respondents with delivery to their door, whilst “connected friends” supply 8% and 2% receive their nicotine from petrol stations, where one orders petrol and cigarettes at the same time.
The fear of running out has also changed purchase behaviour where instead of buying a single box (92% pre-ban), just over 88% of smokers now purchase cartons.
Real Research is a Port Elizabeth based company covering a multitude of industries including FMCG, automotive, banking and retail across the globe. For this particular research, the company aimed to determine the potential changes in smoking habits, brand strength or switch and an understanding of the tobacco market during Covid-19. Secondary outputs were to determine if the actual ban had reduced or changed tobacco use. The research was conducted across Port Elizabeth suburbs via webmail and telephone.
-Issued by jigsaw public relations
