Schnucks set to end tobacco sales in January

Schnuck Markets will ring in the New Year with an end to the sale of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, chewing tobacco and snuff, beginning Jan. 1, 2020.

The company will sell through its existing inventory through the end of the year. Starting on Oct. 15 and continuing indefinitely, Schnucks will offer double Schnucks Rewards points on all over-the counter smoking cessation products. The incentive is an effort to support the estimated 68% of smokers who want to quit tobacco. The company will also continue its practice of not selling 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,” said Schnucks chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck. “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.”

“Unlike many other products, there is simply no moderate amount of tobacco use that is not harmful,” Schnuck added. 

“Tobacco is poised to take 1 billion lives worldwide this century, so Schnucks’ decision to no longer sell tobacco is a victory for public health, corporate responsibility, and customers,” said Gary Reedy, American Cancer Society CEO. “Schnucks has historically been a great partner to the American Cancer Society and this action shows that they, like us, are truly committed to fighting cancer from every angle. There remains an urgent need for all of us to do more.”

Schnucks’ announcement comes as the company is increasing its focus on wellness and promoting healthier choices that create healthier generations. In the past year, the company:

• Created a partnership with gyms to encourage increased physical activity, and partnered with food suppliers to highlight simple swaps to make mealtime healthier.
• Partnered with Pink Ribbon Girls, a nonprofit that delivers healthy, free meals and other services to women who are newly-diagnosed with breast and gynecological cancers. Since the nonprofit’s St. Louis launch one year ago, Pink Ribbon Girls has provided cancer patients and their families with 10,530 meals, with all meal ingredients being donated by Schnucks.
• Launched its Schnucks Healthy Kids Field Trip program at 69 stores. Focused on students in Pre-K through fifth grade, the program teaches kids important life skills that will help them develop healthier habits. The company also expanded its in-store “Free Fruit for Kids” program to all 115 of the company’s locations. 
• Introduced a wellness guide within its Schnucks Rewards app, allowing customers to view nutritional information and labels, as well as attributes such as heart-smart, gluten-free, high protein, and organic.

In addition to these initiatives and the commitment to no longer sell tobacco products, Schnucks will be announcing additional health and wellness initiatives in the coming months and throughout 2020, the company said.