Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Stop & Shop, a major supermarket chain in the Northeast, has confirmed they will stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products on August 31.

What’s the deal: According to the company, the move is being done to better align with their “commitment to community wellness.” Stop & Shop will also actively encourage customers to quit smoking and host two “cigarette buyback events,” which will allow smokers to return their cigarettes and receive a gift card to the store.

Following others: Stop & Shop is not the only company responding to calls for stores to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products. CVS stopped selling tobacco in 2014, noting it was inconsistent with its purpose as a healthcare provider, and Walmart began phasing out cigarette sales in some of its US locations in 2022. Target was the first major retailer to make the move, ending tobacco sales in 1996.

Statement from company exec: In a statement, Gordon Reid, Stop & Shop President, said, “Our responsibility as a grocer goes far beyond our aisles, and we are committed to taking bold steps to help our associates, customers, and communities work towards better health outcomes. From our team of registered dietitians that serve our customers at no cost to our trained and trusted pharmacy associates, Stop & Shop aims to support the health and well-being of the neighborhoods we serve – and this exit from tobacco is one more way we’re accomplishing that goal.”

American Cancer Society reacts: Following their announcement, Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, said, “We are pleased to partner with Stop & Shop as they commit to ending the sales of all tobacco products in their stores. 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. From state and local governments to schools and businesses, we can all play a part in protecting public health. We urge state lawmakers to prioritize tobacco control program funding so that those inspired to quit by this effort have the resources they need to help them succeed.”