Assessing the impact of smoking warning labels on corporate image: evidence from Japan

The harms associated with tobacco use are well established. As a regulatory requirement, tobacco companies must display warning labels on cigarette packaging to disclose these harms. However, warning labels conflict with companies’ commercial interests, potentially raising questions about their integrity and leading to negative perceptions of tobacco companies, such as accusations of hypocrisy. This study examines how warning labels on cigarette packaging influence public perceptions of tobacco companies, offering a new perspective on their negative corporate image. The results indicate that warning labels that include behavioral guidance for quitting smoking (e.g., contact information for cessation support) are perceived as more effective than those that only provided health risk information. Companies using the more effective labels are associated with a more socially responsible corporate image, rather than being viewed as hypocritical. These findings suggest a reconsideration of the role warning labels play in shaping perceptions of tobacco companies and offer actionable insights for places, such as Japan, where text-only labels remain in use.