The Effect of Product Characteristics on
Perceptions of E-cigarettes among Canadians
Christine Czoli, PhD Student
May 28, 2014
Background
Source: Alderman L. (2013). E-Cigarettes are in vogue and at a crossroads. Retrieved from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/business/e-cigarettes-are-in-vogue-and-at-acrossroads.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
Background
• Debate: public health benefit or harm?
• Limited research evidence
Background
• E-cigarette regulatory frameworks
• Targets for regulation?
Research Objective
1. To examine the relative importance of flavour, nicotine
content, health warnings, and price among Canadians’:
a) Perceptions of product taste
b) Perceptions of product harm
c) Perceptions of product efficacy in smoking
cessation
2. To examine the extent to which outcomes a-d are
moderated by smoking status, gender, and age.
Methods
Study Design & Protocol
• Online survey + discrete choice experiment
• November 2013
• 1,188 Canadians, aged 16+
Methods
Discrete Choice Experiment
• Random utility theory
• Tested 4 product attributes
Methods
Product Attributes
Product Attribute Levels
Flavour
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
Methods
Product Attributes
Product Attribute Levels
Nicotine content
None
(0 mg)
Low
(6-8 mg)
Medium
(10-12 mg)
High
(16 mg)
Methods
Product Attributes
Product Attribute Levels
Health warning
None
“Health Canada has not approved this product
for quitting smoking.” [HC]
“This product is intended for use by existing
smokers. It contains nicotine which is a highly
addictive substance.” [EC1]
“This product is intended for use by existing
smokers aged 18 or over as an alternative to
tobacco cigarettes. It contains nicotine which is a
highly addictive substance. Consult your doctor
if you are pregnant, breast feeding, allergic to
nicotine or propylene glycol, or have high blood
pressure.” [EC2]
Methods
Product Attributes
Product Attribute Levels
Price
Low
($ 7.99)
High
($ 9.99)
Methods
Product Attributes
Product Attribute Levels
Flavour
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
Nicotine content
None
Low
Medium
High
Health warning
None
HC
EC1
EC2
Price
Low ($ 7.99)
High ($ 9.99)
Methods
Product Attributes
Product Attribute Levels
Flavour
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
Nicotine content
None
Low
Medium
High
Health warning
None
HC
EC1
EC2
Price
Low ($ 7.99)
High ($ 9.99)
$ 9.99
Methods
Discrete Choice Experiment – Design
Fractional factorial main effects design
• 16 pack profiles
• Arranged into 20 choice sets
• Each set containing 4 pack profiles + “none”
Source: Kuhfeld, W. (2010). Marketing research methods in SAS.
Methods
Choice Set #1
$ 9.99
$ 7.99
$ 7.99
None of the above
$ 7.99
Methods
Which one of these products do you think would taste better?
$ 9.99
$ 7.99
$ 7.99
None of the above
$ 7.99
Methods
Which one of these products do you think would be less harmful?
$ 9.99
$ 7.99
$ 7.99
None of the above
$ 7.99
Methods
Which one of these products do you think would help someone quit smoking?
$ 9.99
$ 7.99
$ 7.99
None of the above
$ 7.99
Methods
Analyses
Multinomial logit models
1. Attribute-level importance
2. Attribute importance
Results
Results
Sample Characteristics (n = 1,188)
Characteristic
% (n)
Age (years)
Mean (SD)
32.8 (SD = 16.0)
Gender
Male
42.4% (504)
Female
57.6% (684)
Perceptions of product taste
Attribute-Level Importance
Parameter Estimate
Significance
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
- 0.30
- 0.16
0.02
0.44
p < 0.0001
p < 0.0001
p = 0.1546
p < 0.0001
None
Low
Medium
High
- 0.02
0.10
- 0.02
- 0.07
p = 0.2249
p < 0.0001
p < 0.0001
p < 0.0001
None
HC
EC1
EC2
0.13
- 0.24
- 0.05
0.16
p < 0.0001
p < 0.0001
p = 0.0010
p < 0.0001
Low
High
0.11
- 0.11
p < 0.0001
p < 0.0001
Flavour
Nicotine content
Health warning
Price
Perceptions of product taste
Attribute-Level Importance
E-cigarettes with the following characteristics were perceived as
better-tasting:
•
Cherry flavour (p < 0.0001);
•
Low nicotine (p < 0.0001);
•
No health warning (p < 0.0001) and the EC2 health warning
(p < 0.0001);
•
Lower price (p < 0.0001)
Perceptions of product taste
Attribute Importance
Parameter Estimate
Utility Range
Relative Importance
- 0.30
- 0.16
0.02
0.44
0.74
48%
- 0.02
0.10
- 0.02
- 0.07
0.17
11%
None
HC
EC1
EC2
0.13
- 0.24
- 0.05
0.16
0.40
26%
Low
High
0.11
- 0.11
0.22
15%
Flavour
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
Nicotine content
None
Low
Medium
High
Health warning
Price
Perceptions of product taste
Attribute Importance
Parameter Estimate
Utility Range
Relative Importance
- 0.30
- 0.16
0.02
0.44
0.74
48%
- 0.02
0.10
- 0.02
- 0.07
0.17
11%
None
HC
EC1
EC2
0.13
- 0.24
- 0.05
0.16
0.40
26%
Low
High
0.11
- 0.11
0.22
15%
Flavour
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
Nicotine content
None
Low
Medium
High
Health warning
Price
Perceptions of product taste
Attribute Importance
48%
26%
15%
Health warning
Flavour
Price
11%
Nicotine content
Perceptions of product harm
Attribute-Level Importance
E-cigarettes with the following characteristics were perceived as
less harmful:
•
Menthol (p < 0.0001) and coffee (p < 0.0001) flavours;
•
Low nicotine (p < 0.0001);
•
No health warning (p < 0.0001) and the EC2 health warning
(p < 0.0001);
•
Lower price (p < 0.0001)
Perceptions of product harm
Attribute Importance
35%
36%
14%
Health warning
Flavour
Price
15%
Nicotine content
Perceptions of product quit efficacy
Attribute-Level Importance
E-cigarettes with the following characteristics were believed to
help someone quit smoking:
•
Menthol (p < 0.0001) and coffee (p < 0.0001) flavours;
•
Low nicotine (p < 0.0001);
•
No health warning (p < 0.0001) and the EC2 health warning
(p < 0.0001);
•
Lower price (p < 0.0001)
Perceptions of product quit efficacy
Attribute Importance
39%
26%
25%
10%
Health warning
Flavour
Price
Nicotine content
Summary
• Health warnings were the most influential drivers of
participants’ perceptions of product quit efficacy
• Flavour was the strongest predictor of perceptions of
taste
• Flavour and health warnings significantly predicted
perceptions of product harm
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
• DCE design
Limitations
• Design did not include all attribute-level combinations
• Testing of a subset of attributes
• Use of a non-probability-based sample
Implications
Regulatory Framework for E-cigarettes
• Potential targets for regulation
• Flavour and health warnings
Acknowledgements
Research Team
• David Hammond, Maciej Goniewicz, Towhidul Islam,
Kathy Kotnowski
Funding Sources
Thank you
Christine D Czoli, PhD Student
School of Public Health & Health Systems
[email protected]
Perceptions of product taste
Pack Utility
Which one of these products do you think would taste better?
Parameter Estimate
Flavour
Tobacco
Menthol
Coffee
Cherry
- 0.30
- 0.16
0.02
0.44
None
Low
Medium
High
- 0.02
0.10
- 0.02
- 0.07
None
HC
EC1
EC2
0.13
- 0.24
- 0.05
0.16
Low
High
0.11
- 0.11
Nicotine content
Health warning
Price
$ 9.99
Utility = 0.38
Perceptions of product taste
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product taste
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product taste
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product harm
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product harm
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product harm
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product quit efficacy
Pack Utility
Perceptions of product quit efficacy
Pack Utility