Stop & Shop Won't Sell Tobacco Products At Massachusetts Stores

MASSACHUSETTS — New Englanders hoping to get their tobacco products and groceries at the same store with need to stop and shop somewhere else.

Stop & Shop, the Massachusetts-based grocery chain, announced Monday that it will end the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products across its 360 stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey by Aug. 31.

Officials said the move was "a part of the brand's commitment to community wellness."

"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," said Stop & Shop President Gordin Reud.

He added, "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."

Not only is the chain ending its sale of tobacco products, but stores in Boston and New York are offering to buy back cigarettes at events on Aug. 28. The stores exist in neighborhoods higher rates of smoking and smoking-related health issues, Stop & Shop officials said.

The program is being hailed as a partnership between Stop & Shop and the American Cancer Society.

"We are pleased to partner with Stop & Shop as they commit to ending the sales of all tobacco products in their stores," said Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, the CEO of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. "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."

There are 125 Stop & Shop locations in Massachusetts.