The effects of warnings on harmful products: literature review and potential applications to the automotive sector

Abstract

Purpose – Regulations on automobile use are increasingly aligning with those applied to harmful products. In this context, government authorities have begun introducing warnings about car consumption which appear, in many ways, analogous to health risk warnings. This study aims to conduct an integrative literature review on warnings for harmful products such as tobacco, alcohol and cannabis, to construct a robust theoretical framework. This framework will serve as the foundation for investigating emerging warnings in automobile advertising – an area that remains unexplored in academic research. The analysis will integrate relevant theoretical perspectives while considering the specific economic and cultural contexts of Latin America and Spain. Design/methodology/approach – An integrative literature review method was adopted, including a total of 103 relevant literature sources. Findings – This paper introduces the use of warnings in car advertising as a new focus of research. Practical implications – This study broadens the discussion on counter-marketing as a tool for promoting sustainability and provides theoretical and practical insights into sustainable transport behaviour. Originality/value – This study is the first to systematically explore the potential of warnings in automotive advertising, bridging insights from existing health warnings to environmental warnings, with the aim of paving the way for future research in the field of automobile-related warnings.