TABLE 2—
Content of News Items (n = 429) Concerning Retailers Who Voluntarily Ended Tobacco Sales: United States, 1995–2011
| Content | Total (%) | Example |
| Retailer reasons for ending tobacco sales | ||
| Declining tobacco sales or other financial motivation | 114 (26.6) | “Discount chain cites steady decline in sales as reason for its decision to stop selling cigarettes.”36 |
| Tobacco’s health hazards | 111 (25.9) | “We have come to this decision after thinking about the role smoking plays in people’s health.”37 |
| Tobacco’s regulatory burden | 85 (19.8) | “It’s become a hassle … getting clerks to enforce tobacco regulations.”38 |
| Tobacco inconsistent with other product lines | 48 (11.2) | “We were selling $1,500 prescriptions for cancer drugs in the back of the store and cigarettes out front.”39 |
| A business decision | 48 (11.2) | “I understand that people will be happy or unhappy about the decision, but it was a business decision.”40 |
| Shoplifting of tobacco products | 45 (10.5) | “Heavy shoplifting squeezed profit margins on cigarettes.”41 |
| Personal reason | 40 (9.3) | “His brother lost two-thirds of a lung to cancer.”42 |
| Trying to protect children | 36 (8.4) | “‘We just didn’t feel good about selling [tobacco],’ Sprague said, citing the temptation posed … to the many teens who work in the store.”43 |
| Placing people over profits | 11 (2.6) | “Valesky’s does not wish to obtain profit from the sale of any item which can harm our customers or their families.”44 |
| Pressure from public health advocates | 8 (1.9) | “A growing movement nationwide for [drug stores] to discontinue tobacco sales … and the urging of local health activists were considerations in their decision.”45 |
| Denormalization of tobacco | 8 (1.9) | “Declining sales and changing consumer lifestyles were cited by ShopKo as reasons for the decision.”46 |
| Following others’ lead | 3 (0.70) | “[The owner] said that Wegmans’ decision helped influence him to discontinue selling smokes.”47 |
| Image enhancement | 3 (0.70) | “I decided to remove the … tobacco because I felt we were out of alignment with the values of the community.”48 |
| Potential impact of voluntarily ending tobacco sales | ||
| Inspire other retailers to follow suit | 115 (26.8) | “They are setting a great example for other companies to do the same.”49 |
| Lost profits | 109 (25.4) | “His business will take a serious hit, about $50,000 a year in lost sales.”42 |
| Improved health | 82 (19.1) | “By pulling tobacco from their shelves, these stores are helping to curb the devastating toll tobacco takes on our community.”50 |
| Fewer customers | 70 (16.3) | “The company feared that not selling cigarettes would cause a drop-off in customer traffic.”51 |
| Encourage children not to smoke | 52 (12.1) | “He hopes their decision not to sell cigarettes will discourage young people from smoking.”52 |
| Image improvement | 43 (10.0) | “[The decision] plays well from a social standpoint.”53 |
| Less smoking in general | 36 (8.4) | “The harder it is for people to get tobacco, the easier it is for them to end the scourge of this addiction.”51 |
| Greater profit | 20 (4.7) | “It may give them a competitive edge because some shoppers will say that’s socially responsible.”54 |
| Responses to decision | ||
| Positive customer reaction | 33 (7.7) | “I give him a lot of credit for standing up for what he believes.”52 |
| Negative customer reaction | 23 (5.4) | “They’ll lose a lot of my business.”55 |
| Neutral customer reaction | 4 (0.9) | “It makes no difference to me… . I’ll still come here anyway.”52 |
| Mixed customer reaction | 39 (9.1) | A mix of positive and negative comments. |
| Lauded by public health groups/authorities | 170 (39.6) | “The American Lung Association of New York State … commended DeCicco’s for its commitment to public health.”56 |
| Positive op-ed or letter to the editor | 88 (78.6) | “If more stores would follow Hiller’s lead, we would make incalculable strides toward eradicating a health threat.”57 |
| Negative op-ed or letter to the editor | 24 (21.4) | “I’m not happy about Wegmans deciding not to sell tobacco.”58 |
| Reasons for opposition to voluntarily ending tobacco sales | ||
| Inconveniences customers | 51 (11.9) | “Why would you create inconvenience for your customers? It’s a vice, but so are lottery tickets.”59 |
| Infringement on customer choice/rights | 46 (10.7) | “It’s a person’s right to buy any product they choose.”60 |
| Tobacco is legal product | 35 (8.2) | “Tops will continue to sell these products as long as it is legal to do so.”61 |
| Slippery slope—other products will also disappear from shelves | 9 (2.1) | “Once tobacco is off the shelves, … you will no longer be able to purchase alcohol products at Wegmans.”62 |
| Tobacco use and disease | ||
| Mention of tobacco use | 106 (24.7) | “Less than one in five adults [are] current tobacco users.”63 |
| Positive portrayal of tobacco use | 2 (0.5) | “Some people smoke incessantly for 40 or 50 years and never develop any health problems and [may] even outlive nonsmokers.”64 |
| Negative portrayal of tobacco use | 76 (17.7) | “It’s the biggest regret of my life, that I ever started.”39 |
| Neutral or mixed portrayal of tobacco use | 28 (6.6) | “We respect the right to smoke, but for us, this is … a question of health.”65 |
| Mention of tobacco and disease, death, or addiction | 184 (42.9) | “1,200 people die every day in the United States because they smoked or chewed.”66 |
| Mention of tobacco industry | 112 (26.1) | “The Tobacco Institute predicted that [other retailers] will continue to sell cigarettes.”67 |
| Positive portrayal of the tobacco industry | 5 (1.2) | “I don’t understand the university shutting the door on the industry. It’s built this state up so much.”68 |
| Negative portrayal of the tobacco industry | 38 (8.9) | “The number of smokers is higher … because of the predatory marketing practices of the tobacco industry.”69 |
| Neutral or mixed portrayal of the tobacco industry | 69 (16.1) | “Tobacco industry officials said the decision was Target’s prerogative.”70 |
| Extent/desirability of voluntarily ending tobacco sales | ||
| Other retailers have/will/should become tobacco free | 213 (49.7) | “More stores should stop selling tobacco products.”71 |
| Other retailers haven’t/won’t/shouldn’t become tobacco free | 128 (29.8) | “Few retailers appear poised to follow Target’s lead.”72 |
Note. News items were coded for multiple responses in each category; the percentages reported in each section reflect the percentage of items coded as “yes.”