Major Grocery Chain Ends Tobacco Sales to Promote Health

Stop & Shop to End Tobacco Sales

Major grocery chain Stop & Shop announced this week that it will end its sales of tobacco products, effective August 31. This decision comes as part of the chain's commitment to community wellness and improving health outcomes for its customers and communities.

Details of the Announcement

With 360 stores across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, Stop & Shop is taking action against smoking-related health issues. According to Gordan Reid, President of Stop & Shop, "Our responsibility as a grocer goes far beyond our aisles... We are committed to taking bold steps to help our associates, customers, and communities work towards better health outcomes."

Supporting Community Health

• The company has initiated two cigarette buyback events in neighborhoods with high smoking rates.
• This move underscores a growing trend, similar to Walmart's recent actions and CVS Pharmacy's cessation of tobacco sales in 2014.
• Approximately 780 million people wish to quit smoking, with only 30% having access to resources, according to the World Health Organization.

Stop & Shop is also partnering with the American Cancer Society to further support this initiative.

Impact on the Retail Landscape

As the latest retailer to stop selling tobacco products, Stop & Shop's decision reflects a broader shift towards promoting health within the community. As Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, stated, "This is a step in the right direction toward ending Big Tobacco’s influence on kids, and we know even more can be done to reduce the toll of tobacco in our communities."