Women and girls in low and middle income countries are exposed to aggressive marketing tactics by tobacco and alcohol industries, which exploit gender inequalities and associate their products with women’s empowerment.

In this paper, Emma Feeny and colleagues argue that Gender transformative measures could curb the industries’ expansion into low and middle income countries, contain the burden of chronic disease, and promote gender equity.

Author

Emma Feeny (email: efeeny@georgeinstitute.org), Cherian Varghese and Dag Rekve

Citation

Feeny E, Dain K, Varghese C, Atiim G A, Rekve D, Gouda H N et al. Protecting women and girls from tobacco and alcohol promotion BMJ 2021; 374 :n1516 doi:10.1136/bmj.n1516

Source
BMJ
Release date
19/07/2021

Key messages

  • Women and girls in low and middle income countries are exposed to aggressive marketing tactics by tobacco and alcohol industries, which exploit gender inequalities and associate their products with women’s empowerment.
  • Using their experience of successful marketing in high income countries, the tobacco and alcohol industries create products for low and middle income countries which are linked to narratives of empowerment, but based on gender norms and stereotypes. These products may be:
    • Packaged in “feminine” colours (eg, pink, purple, glittery, or with a floral design), shapes (eg, purses), and sizes (eg, lipstick shaped boxes of cigarettes).
    • Provided in different flavors—for example, alcohol beverages might be sweeter or fruit flavored with lower alcohol content, cigarettes might be “light” or menthol.
    • Linked to messages about weight control—for example, “slim” cigarettes.
    • Linked to messaging about health—for example, beer as a way of improving skin and general beauty, or as a way of treating menstrual pain.
    • Promoted through media with a predominantly female audience—for example, women’s magazines.
    • Given away, discounted, or sold cheaply, with home delivery offered in some cases where cultural norms deter women from making purchases.
  • A rise in the consumption of alcohol and tobacco among women and girls will lead to an increase in non-communicable diseases globally, both in the short term and among generations to come
  • A rise in non-communicable dieases has important implications for public health and the achievement of global development goals
  • Governments and other stakeholders should tackle gender and other inequalities while improving health to protect women and girls in low and middle income countries from tobacco and alcohol promotion

Source Website: BMJ