China

China has a population of 1.44 billion people; 26.4 percent of the adult population and 3.9 percent of the youth population smoke cigarettes.¹ An estimated 2,197,652 people in China die each year from diseases caused by smoking.²

TPackSS worked with in-country collaborators to purchase cigarettes in seven major cities across China. Within each city, packs were collected from a sample of 12 economically and socially diverse neighborhoods. In 2013 and 2017, data collectors purchased one of every unique cigarette pack available from vendors selected in each neighborhood in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming and Chengdu. From November 12 to December 6, 2013, data collectors purchased 453 unique cigarette packs. Then from February 6 to February 22, 2017, data collectors visited the same five cities and purchased 738 unique cigarette packs. In 2023, data collectors purchased one of every unique cigarette and e-cigarette pack available from vendors selected in each neighborhood in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Kunming and Shenzhen. Data collectors visited four popular types of cigarette vendors according to Euromonitor data (independent small grocer, tobacco specialty, supermarket, hypermarket) and vape stores (including brand store and non-brand name store) for purchase. For e-cigarette pack collection, data collectors visited 12 vape stores per city and made a purchase from at least one non-brand stores in each city.³ From April 18 to May 27, 2023, data collectors visited these cities and purchased 487 unique cigarette packs and 143 unique e-cigarette packs.

The tobacco packaging and labeling requirements in effect at the time of data collection were used to assess each tobacco pack’s compliance with the requirements.

Suggested Citation for Information on this Page: Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS). China: Project and Country Background. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. http://globaltobaccocontrol.org/tpackss/country/china [Insert Last Updated Date].