Japan Tobacco’s mysterious retailer poll

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH writes to Japan Tobacco International (JTI)

The results of a poll of 1,000 retailers commissioned by JTI was published in Convenience Store in November and reposted by Sarah Connor, JTI’s UK Director of Communication. However, ASH has not been able to find the technical report giving the data and methodology which should have been published at the same time. ASH has written to JTI asking for this information to be published without delay, see post followed by the text of the letter below.

Here is the letter as sent to JTI:

"Dear Sarah

JTI survey of retailers in 2023

In November you reposted a Convenience Store article quoting research into retailers’ attitudes to the generational ban on sale of tobacco commissioned by JTI.

Reputable market research companies ensure that a web address and/or other source where data tables may be viewed are made available at time of publication. We have been unable to find any such information available online and are writing to ask for JTI to put it in the public domain without further delay, to include:

1. Who carried out the survey for JTI.
2. Whether the survey was opt in, or a representative sample of retailers.
   If it was a representative sample, how participants were selected, geographical distribution, the profile and composition of the sample, how it was selected and what, if any, weights were applied to the research data.
3. Dates of data collection.
4. Method/s of obtaining participant responses (e.g. face-to-face, online, phone).
5. Wording of questions and of each option offered to respondents, and the percentages choosing each option.
   

Deborah Arnott"