RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Electronic cigarette and smoking paraphernalia point of sale displays: an observational study in England JF Tobacco Control JO Tob Control FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP e201 OP e206 DO 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056314 VO 31 IS e2 A1 Brocklebank, Laura A A1 Blackwell, Anna K M A1 Marteau, Theresa M A1 De-loyde, Katie A1 Morris, Richard W A1 Burgoine, Thomas A1 Hobson, Alice A1 Ventsel, Minna A1 Munafo, Marcus R YR 2022 UL http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/31/e2/e201.abstract AB Background Tobacco point of sale (POS) retail displays are banned in many countries, including in England, due in part to evidence linking them to greater susceptibility to smoking in children. There is no equivalent ban on displays of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or smoking paraphernalia (eg, cigarette lighters) in England, which are often positioned alongside covered tobacco storage units. This observational study describes the visibility and placement of e-cigarette and smoking paraphernalia POS displays in major tobacco retailers in two cities in England to inform future research examining their possible links to susceptibility to tobacco smoking, particularly in children.Methods Researchers visited all small- and large-format stores of four supermarket chains and a randomly selected sample of convenience stores, in Bristol and Cambridge. A standardised checklist was used to create a total visibility score for POS displays of (a) e-cigarettes and (b) smoking paraphernalia, plus other measures of visibility and placement. These were described for the total sample and compared between areas of low, medium, and high deprivation using general linear models adjusting for store location and store type.Results The visibility checklist was completed in 133 of 166 stores (80% completion rate). Both e-cigarette and smoking paraphernalia POS displays were present in 96% of stores. POS displays were highly visible across all stores: mean (SD) total visibility scores, out of 17, were 14.7 (1.8) for e-cigarettes and 12.7 (1.8) for smoking paraphernalia. There was no clear evidence of differences in visibility by area of deprivation.Conclusion E-cigarette and smoking paraphernalia POS displays are near ubiquitous and highly visible in major tobacco retailers in two cities in England. The impact of these displays on tobacco smoking in children and adults is unknown, meriting urgent research to assess their effect on susceptibility to tobacco smoking in children.The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available at the University of Bristol data repository, data.bris, at https://doi.org/10.5523/bris.2u6wn87v1hc5a2oltkhmdlfnr3.