Background:   The retail tobacco marketplace, as one of the least regulated marketing channels in the U.S. after the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, continues to evolve as new products are introduced, and federal and state regulatory efforts to protect the public’s health remain vulnerable to constitutional challenges.

Objectives: To describe differences in product availability, promotion, price and placement of various tobacco products in the point-of-sale environment across time, and to investigate the factors that potentially predict the point-of-sale prices, promotions and advertisings.

Methods: Cross-sectional tobacco product data was collected annually in a national sample of tobacco retail stores from 1999-2002, and then again from 2010-2012 as part of the Bridging the Gap Study.

Results: The data indicate significant increases in average cigarette prices ($2 in 2012 US dollars) and in interior advertising prevalence (15%) from 1999-2012 while price promotion prevalence for Marlboro (25%) and Newport (10%) cigarettes decreased. Self-service access to little cigars/cigarillos and e-cigarette availability increased from 2010-2012. Logistic regression indicate that the following variables are related to tobacco marketing: store type, racial/ethnic composition of the neighborhood and whether or not existing statewide policies are in place. 

Implications:  Point-of-sale tobacco product surveillance should continue to be monitored as new products enter the marketplace, and policies to help prevent the promotion of these products to children and youth should be developed to prevent future uptake.