世論 What Japan Thinks

With the nationwide introduction of taspo, Tobacco pASsPOrt – a proof of age certificate (well, proof that someone over twenty applied for the card) – now complete, DIMSDRIVE Research took their second look at taspo. The first look at taspo by DIMSDRIVE was back in May.

Demographics

Between the 8th and 14th of August 2008 7,381 members of the DIMSDRIVE Research monitor group completed a members-only internet-based questionnaire. 52.3% of the sample were female, 1.1% in their teens, 13.5% in their twenties, 33.5% in their thirties, 30.6% in their forties, 14.6% in their fifties, and 6.7% aged sixty or older.

One obvious effect of taspo is that half as many smokers are now using cigarette vending machines, which must be a serious financial blow to people who have them outside their shops.

At a slight tangent, but my office sells ciggies by the case, and last week they started a promotion with a free gift per pack of 200, with the clip art reading “Thank you father”. Monday the 15th of September is Respect for the Aged Day, so I suspect they are promoting killing your parents with cancer kindness.

Research results

First, the percentage of smokers was 27.2%, but sadly no breakdown by sex or information on quitters. So, let us start by looking at these smokers.

Q1: Where do you usually buy cigarettes? (Sample size=2,010, multiple answer)

	This time (August)	Last time (April)
Convenience store	76.7%	71.4%
Vending machine	32.2%	73.2%
Street tobacco kiosk	23.4%	22.3%
Supermarket, discount store, etc	19.1%	21.3%
Railway kiosk, other shop	9.7%	10.3%
Tobacco store	5.8%	5.7%
Off-license	4.2%	4.0%
Other shop	1.9%	2.0%
Restaurant, pub, etc	1.8%	3.9%
Duty-free, overseas	1.7%	2.4%
Other	0.9%	0.7%
Don’t buy myself, don’t know	1.0%	0.9%

Q1A: Where do you usually buy cigarettes? (Sample size=759, multiple answer)

Vending machine	77.5%
Convenience store	68.5%
Street tobacco kiosk	25.2%
Supermarket, discount store, etc	20.2%
Railway kiosk, other shop	10.3%
Tobacco store	7.4%
Off-license	5.0%
Restaurant, pub, etc	3.2%
Duty-free, overseas	2.6%
Other shop	2.0%
Other	0.7%
Don’t buy myself, don’t know	0.1%

Q2: Do you know about “taspo”? (Sample size=7,381)

	This time (August)	Last time (April)
Know it in detail	30.7%	21.3%
Know it to some degree	56.0%	56.8%
Just heard the term	12.2%	17.7%
Don’t know it	1.1%	4.2%

Q3: Do you think taspo will be effective in cutting down under-age smoking? (Sample size=7,381)

	This time (August)	Last time (April)
Considerably effective	5.6%	7.1%
Effective to some degree	27.2%	31.5%
Slightly effective	42.1%	41.7%
Not effective at all	25.1%	19.7%

Q4: Have you applied, will you apply for a taspo card? (Sample size=2,010)

	This time (August)	Last time (April)
Already have one	37.7%	17.7%
Applied, but not delivered yet	0.6%	0.0%
Definitely apply	1.3%	18.4%
Perhaps apply	7.0%	27.5%
Perhaps won’t apply	20.0%	15.1%
Won’t apply	30.9%	14.6%
Don’t know	2.5%	6.7%

Q5: Why haven’t you applied for a taspo card? (Sample size=1,022, multiple answer)

Bothersome to apply	60.1%
Will buy tobacco somewhere else	52.5%
Bothersome to, dislike carrying the card	28.4%
Have to supply address, other personal information to apply	13.5%
Don’t like having my photo on it	9.1%
Not a problem to not have one	6.5%
Don’t use vending machines	5.4%
Probably lose it, worry that I would	3.9%
Use it as an excuse to quit, cut down	2.9%
Other	0.9%
No particular reason	1.0%

Q6: How have you buying habits changed since taspo was introduced? (Sample size=2,010, multiple answer)

	Smokers N=2,010	taspo holders N=759
Buy more often from supermarket, convenience store, etc rather than vending machines	40.3%	20.6%
Buy more at one time at supermarket, convenience store, etc	24.0%	14.6%
Buy cigarettes less often	6.0%	3.3%
Buy more often from vending machines	2.4%	6.3%
Other	0.7%	0.4%
Buying habits haven’t changed	42.6%	63.8%