Business-to-business marketing: Tobacco companies and retailers in Jakarta, Indonesia

Tobacco companies offer retailers incentives to advertise their products. Exposure to point-of-sale (POS) advertising is associated with increased smoking experimentation, initiation, and relapse.

POS advertising and retailer incentive programs are generally allowed in Indonesia. However, some provincial governments like Jakarta have adopted stronger provisions like a ban on indoor and outdoor advertisements at POS. This study explored retailers’ interactions with tobacco companies regarding advertising and promoting tobacco products in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Tobacco companies need to be held accountable for incentivizing retailers to illegally advertise tobacco; the government can make the tobacco product display ban legally enforceable to limit consumer exposure to tobacco advertising.