Association of fully branded, standardized packaging and limited flavor and brand descriptors of e-liquids with interest in trying products among youths in Great Britain

Background and aims: Many vaping products feature bright colors and novel brand names and flavor descriptors, which may appeal to youth. We measured the strength of the associations between e-liquid packaging design (branded, white standardized or white standardized limiting brand and flavor descriptors) and perceived peer interest in trying the e-liquids among youth.

Design: A between-subjects online experiment.

Setting: The Action on Smoking and Health Smokefree Great Britain (GB) Youth 2021 online survey.

Participants: Participants included 1628 youth aged 11-18, 51.9% female, 71.8% socioeconomic status ABC1 (the three highest Market Research Society grades).

Measurements: Participants were randomized to view a set of three images of e-liquids from one of three packaging conditions: (1) fully branded (control), (2) white standardized with usual brand names and flavor descriptors or (3) white standardized with coded brand names and limited flavor descriptors. Participants were asked which e-liquid they thought people their age would be most interested in trying and could select a product, 'none of these', or 'do not know'. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to test associations between selecting 'none of these' ('no interest') versus any product ('interest') or 'do not know' and packaging condition. Analyses were adjusted for sex, age, socioeconomic status, vaping status and smoking status.

Findings: Compared with fully branded packaging (22.7%; reference category), youth had higher odds of reporting no perceived peer interest in trying e-liquids in standardized packs with brand codes and limited flavor descriptors [30.3%, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.53-2.79], but not standardized packs with usual descriptors (23.1%, AOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.89-1.65). Youth had higher odds of reporting no perceived peer interest in e-liquids in white standardized packs with brand codes and limited flavor descriptors (30.3%, AOR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.29-2.16, P < 0.001) compared with standardized packs with usual descriptors (23.1%; reference category).

Conclusion: Standardized e-liquid packaging that limits flavor and brand descriptors may reduce the youth appeal of e-liquids.