Schnuck Markets Inc., one of the Midwest’s largest grocery store chains, announced on Thursday that it will stop selling cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other tobacco products as of Jan. 1.
Suburban St. Louis-based Schnucks is the largest grocer in the St. Louis area and operates 115 stores overall in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa. The privately held company already does not sell e-cigarettes or vaping products.
“Tobacco products are certainly a profitable part of our business, but our company’s mission is to nourish people’s lives,” Schnucks Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck said in a statement. “Tobacco products directly contradict our core mission and that means that they simply don’t belong in our stores. We respect people’s right to make decisions that are best for them, and while we know this may not sit well with everyone, we believe it’s the right thing to do for the health of our communities, and our customers and that makes it the right decision for our company.”
The grocery chain said removing tobacco is part of a broader effort to focus on wellness and promote healthier choices for customers. Other efforts include a partnership with workout centers to encourage physical activity and the launch of a program that teaches life skills and health habits to children. The store’s app also allows customers to view nutritional information.
Schnucks, which was founded in St. Louis in 1939, is "a third-generation, family-owned grocery and pharmacy retailer committed to nourishing people’s lives." Schnucks operates 115 stores in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa, and employs 14,500 people.
“I’m sure that we will disappoint some customers by discontinuing the sale of the product,” Schnuck told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “But when we look at the grand scheme of things well, what’s the right thing to do? And we believe discontinuing the sale of tobacco products is the right thing to do.”
Schnucks will sell through its existing inventory through the end of the year, and starting on Oct. 15 - and continuing indefinitely - Schnucks will offer double Schnucks Rewards points on all over-the counter smoking cessation products. The company will also continue its practice of not selling e-cigarettes or vaping products.
Missouri, where the majority of Schnucks stores are located, has one of the nation’s highest smoking rates - about 21 percent among adults – but that is down from 25 percent in 2011. Missouri also has the nation’s lowest tobacco tax rates, 17 cents per pack of cigarettes.