The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Enforcement of the tobacco sales ban to minors aims to increase the level of compliance by influencing control and sanction perceptions of tobacco retailers. The objective of this study was to determine if control and sanction perceptions directly or indirectly (mediated by compliance-related cognitions) influenced compliance.

Methods: Eleven months after implementation of the tobacco sales ban to minors in the Netherlands, data were collected among 401 retailers (tobacconists, supermarkets, petrol stations, bars and restaurants). Compliance was measured by examining the way of how the age of minors is checked. Compliance-related cognitions were measured by assessing attitude, social norms and self-efficacy to comply. Control and sanction perceptions were measured by direct questions about how likely retailers expected they were to be controlled and/or get fined if they failed to ask identification of minors buying tobacco. Regression analyses were used to establish whether the influence of control and sanction perceptions on compliance was mediated by compliance-related cognitions.

Results: Retailers who very much expected to be controlled because of anonymous report of violation are less likely to comply. This association remained significant after controlling for compliance-related cognitions. There was some indication (p<0.10) that those retailers who estimated that if controlled, the violation would be detected were more likely to comply. However this was mediated by compliance-related cognitions. Of the compliance-related cognitions, higher self-efficacy was associated with better compliance.