Synovate smokes out the facts on tobacco use in Indonesia
18 March 2003
INDONESIA — SYNOVATE, a top ten global research company, today released data confirming that Indonesia is a country of smokers - or rather a country of male smokers.
The January 2003 survey was conducted across Indonesia using AsiaBUS, a monthly global omnibus study. It showed that 60 per cent of the male adult population admits to smoking, compared with only four per cent of the female population.
Robby Susatyo, Managing Director of Synovate in Indonesia, said the data showed that women who do smoke, smoke less than men.
Smoking is quite rare for Indonesian women - and the smokers amongst them puff an average of six sticks per day, while their male counterparts consume an average of nine sticks per day.
"One possible reason for the frequency and prevalence amongst men is the perception of smoking as a macho activity," Mr Susatyo said.
The study also found that smoking cuts across age and social boundaries, with Indonesians (or rather Indonesian men) from all walks of life equally likely to have the habit. However, taste preferences do vary across the country.
Although the kretek is still dominant with 83 per cent of smokers preferring clove cigarettes to white cigarettes (17 per cent), white cigarettes are increasingly popular among female smokers (27 per cent) and in Jakarta (29 per cent).
Mr Susatyo said this data could herald the move from kreteks to white cigarettes.
"What's going on in Jakarta tends to set trends for the trends for the rest of Indonesia to follow. Therefore, we can confidently predict a shift from kreteks to white cigarettes over the coming years.
"It is fair to say that this may take some time though, as the majority of consumers simply do not like the taste of white and menthol cigarettes," he said.
The figures demonstrated that all smokers are aware of the dangers, with 100 per cent stating that they know about Government warnings. However, it seems that they just find it difficult to give up the habit.
Indeed, around two thirds of smokers agree with the statement that �I am addicted to smoking�. Given these attitudes, it is not surprising that the majority of smokers say that they would like to give up, and in most cases have already tried unsuccessfully.
Mr Susatyo suggested that perhaps there is a role for wives and girlfriends in helping Indonesian men to kick the habit.
"I can speak from personal experience on this one. Not only am I a researcher, I am also a life-long kretek smoker."
"I have recently given up smoking after advice from my doctor, although before now the pleasure of the sweet clove taste has always been much stronger than my willpower to stop," he said.
The data is based on Synovate�s AsiaBUS survey, which talks to a representative sample of 1,000 respondents from across Indonesia�s four major cities every month of the year.
Contact(s) for this press release
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Linda Collard
Director, Marketing Communications |
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9/F Leighton Centre |
Telephone: +852 2830 2588 |
About the Company
Synovate generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of leading research solutions. Companies which will become Synovate on January 6th are Market Facts and its subsidiaries in the Americas; Asia Market Intelligence and Research Fact in Asia Pacific; and Market&More, Pegram Walters, Demoscopie, The Sample Surveys Research Group, INNER Strategic Research and MEMRB Custom Research Worldwide in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. More information on Synovate is available on www.synovate.com.
About Aegis Group plc
Aegis Group plc is the holding company for Carat, its media strategy, planning and buying business and Synovate. These two operating groups provide clients with a range of services across media communications, marketing consultancy and market research. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Aegis is capitalised at around £1.04 billion and operates in 60 countries. More information is available at www.aegisplc.com.
For more information:
If you need a more comprehensive report about Smoking Habits in Indonesia, please contact Synovate Indonesia on 021- 5213420 or send an e-mail to indonesia@synovate.com
About Synovate in Indonesia:
Synovate is the new name for Asia Market Intelligence; a research agency that has been in Indonesia since 1996. Synovate has a global research network of 77 offices in 46 countries.