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Introduction
The tobacco industry has long-used product design characteristics to increase cigarette brand appeal, mislead consumers about health risks and facilitate addiction. 1 2 One recent product innovation involves flavour capsules in cigarette filters, which consumers can crush at any time to release a burst of flavour. Industry reports highlight the significant growth of the flavour capsule segment of the market; 3-5 however, almost no independent research has been conducted to determine the extent of use, to profile users or to understand user perceptions of the product. Research on these topics should inform product regulation, which has generally advanced more slowly than other policy areas promoted by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. 6
Consumer perceptions of flavours and filter technology
Menthol flavour and filter technology are prominent design features that influence consumer perceptions. Menthol helps retain established smokers by reassuring them about smoking risks, as smokers often perceive menthol cigarettes as less harsh and harmful than regular cigarettes. 7 8 Menthol also attracts new smokers, as indicated by the relatively higher prevalence of flavoured cigarette use among youth. 9 10 Filters reassure consumers about smoking risks. 2 An increasing number of cigarette brands reference filter 'technology,' which many youth and adults still perceive as reducing harm. 11 12 However, the way in which flavour capsules in the filter influence consumer perceptions and behaviour is relatively unstudied.
History of flavour capsules
In the mid-1960s, the American Tobacco Company introduced a cigarette brand with capsules of water in the filter that could be pinched to release moisture and provide a new flavour. 13 More recently, cigarette filters containing menthol capsules appeared on the Japanese market in 2007, with brand variants featuring capsules now available in most markets. 14 Capsules typically contain menthol 15 and can include other often-used tobacco flavourings (eg, sugars, acetaldehyde, levulinic acid, clove). 14 Spearmint, lemon mint, apple mint and strawberry mint are some of the more recently introduced menthol-related flavours in capsules. 16 Capsules have been included in flavoured and regular cigarettes, 14 incorporated into diverse stick sizes (eg, longs, superslims), 16 17 and some new varieties include two differently flavoured capsules in one filter. Indeed, capsule technology is a key 'premiumisation' strategy for the industry, generating value across price categories....