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If you want to buy a pack of cigarettes, you won’t find them at Stop & Shop.
The grocer announced this week that it plans to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products at its 360 Northeast stores by Aug. 31 “as part of the brand’s commitment to community well-being.”
“From our team of registered dietitians who serve our customers free of charge to our trained and trusted pharmacy associates, Stop & Shop is dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of the neighborhoods we serve – and going tobacco-free is another way we’re doing just that,” Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid said in a statement.
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American Cancer Society CEO Karen Knudsen said the move was “a step in the right direction to end the tobacco industry’s influence on children,” although she added that more needs to be done “to reduce the impact of tobacco in our communities.”
Parking spaces are reserved for online pickup orders at Stop and Shop in Brockton, Massachusetts, on August 17, 2020. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The organization is urging state lawmakers to prioritize funding for tobacco control programs so more people can get the resources they need if they want to quit smoking.
Katie Thornell, Stop & Shop’s pharmacy director, said the company’s licensed pharmacists are able to provide smoking cessation counseling and vaccination recommendations for people whose immunity may be weakened due to smoking.
The grocer is the latest to join a growing list of companies that have already stopped selling the products, including Walmart, which stopped in 2019, and Target, which ended sales in 1996.
| Teleprinter | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVS | CVS HEALTH CORP. | 57.03 | -0.43 |
-0.75% |
| WMT | Walmart Inc. | 76.15 | +0.02 |
+0.03% |
| TGT | TARGET COMPANY | 156.49 | -2.24 |
-1.41% |
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Packs of Marlboro cigarettes are displayed for sale at a convenience store in Somerville, Massachusetts, on July 17, 2014. (Reuters/Brian Snyder / Reuters)
CVS has been tobacco-free since 2014. In 2019, the company said its decision resulted in 100 million fewer packs of cigarettes sold in the first year alone.
The company also pledged $50 million to deliver the first generation of tobacco-free products through its Initiative Be the first.
CVS has been tobacco-free since 2014. (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)
HeraldPR CEO Juda Engelmayer explained that it was a “PR stunt to attract customers who want to believe that their grocery store is doing everything it can to make the world a better place, whether that’s organic produce, local suppliers, philanthropy or responsible operations.”
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However, Engelmayer said it’s not a bad idea for Stop & Shop because it “needs to differentiate itself from its competitors” in the grocery industry.
For his part, Dr. Pat Basu, a physician and former CEO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said Stop & Shop’s decision was “the right decision for public health and for their business.”
“It’s been known for decades that tobacco is a leading risk factor for cancer and cardiovascular disease,” Basu said. “For a grocery chain that wants to serve its community and provide healthy options, it’s a no-brainer to stop selling these deadly substances.”
