No cigs at Wegman's - what's next?

The retail chain Wegmans has said it will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products next month, they are being widely praised for the move by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other quarters.

From the story at online site UticaOD.com, a report on how the American Heart Association wants more retailers to follow suit:

But convincing the stores to eliminate tobacco related products could be difficult. In 2006, tobacco sales accounted for more than $5 billion for grocery stores, a Progressive Grocer's annual consumer expenditure study said. “There is a profitable margin on it,” Chanatry’s Manager Lenny Ciriaco said. “It would not cripple, but it will have an impact on our business.” While cigarettes do not make up a large portion of Chanatry’s overall sales, the Utica store does want to supply what customers want, he said. The Utica-Rome area has one of the highest smoking rates in Upstate New York, according to recently released study by Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield. Smokers Ulysses Taylor and Shariffa Jones of Utica spend at least $30 a week on cigarettes, and said a ban on tobacco product sales at large grocery stores might not work.

TK: Some were incredulous about the move by Wegmans, which was apparently unprompted by outside pressure and made freely by the company. Here is one comment from Washington City Paper that asks:

Jamie said:
Will they stop selling Doritos and Coke in solidarity with the Campaign to End Obesity too? I suspect fat kills more people than nicotine. Let’s hope they do the right thing.


Sarah said:
Are you really comparing Doritos and Coke to cigarettes? In moderation, Coke and Doritos are not directly harmful to your health, are they? They’re not great, but eating doritos now and again, or having a Coke isn’t going to make you obese.
Maybe Wegman’s just doesn’t want to contribute to people smoking any longer. I don’t see anything wrong with that.


TK: "Supplying what the customers want" is the fallback position, but I admire Wegmans for its decision. They may gain some customers and lose some customers over the move. As a retailer, it may be one thing to ask growers to be socially responsible, but it another thing to require it of yourself. Kudos to Wegmans. Is it a slippery slope? I'd have to say Coke and Doritos have nothing to worry about.