• 1/7/2008
  • Rochester, NY
  • Stephanie Veale and Daniel Wallace
  • www.rochesterdandc.com

Wegmans Food Markets’ decision to stop selling cigarettes drew sharp reaction Friday, from customers angry at the loss of choice to those who applauded the grocery chain’s decision to turn down certain sales.

Wegmans, which has 71 stores in five states, will sell its remaining inventory until Feb. 10 and will not order new tobacco products between now and then, said spokeswoman Jo Natale.

The family-owned retailer said it came to the decision after weighing the role smoking plays in people’s health with respect for a person’s right to smoke

“We believe there are few of us who would introduce our children to smoking,” stated a letter to employees from Wegmans CEO Danny Wegman and his daughter, Colleen, the company’s president.

Wegmans doesn’t expect massive numbers of customers to quit smoking, Natale said. “But we employ 37,000 people. Many of them are young people under 21. If this sends the right message to them, we will have accomplished something.”

Wegmans is a major local employer, with 14,013 employees in the greater Rochester area as of November, Natale said.

While Target stores stopped selling tobacco products in 1996 — and many grocery chains specializing in organic or health food never have sold cigarettes — Wegmans is the first major grocery store chain in New York state to pull tobacco products from its shelves, according to the state Health Department.

The move could have a major impact on people’s smoking habits due to Wegmans’ popularity and long reach, said state Commissioner of Health Dr. Richard F. Daines.

Children often tag along on shopping trips, and not seeing their parents buy cigarettes may help prevent a new generation of smokers from picking up the habit, Daines said.

“It really changes the geography,” he said. “This idea of getting tobacco out of retail sites is very important.”

The decision also could inspire other outlets to stop selling cigarettes, Daines said.

The Rochester chapter of the American Cancer Society praised Wegmans for pairing this decision with a smoking cessation program for its employees, which it will begin later in the year.

“They’re not just saying cigarette smoking is bad,” said Mark Cronin, regional vice president of the cancer society. “They’re saying, ‘We’re going to help you quit.'”

But some area residents — smokers and non-smokers alike — don’t support Wegmans’ decision.

There was a long pause when Mark Borton, 53, of Penfield learned Friday afternoon that Wegmans would no longer carry cigarettes.

“I’ve got so many feelings about that,” he said after a moment. “This is supposed to be a country of choice.”

Bobby Daminski, 27, of Rochester didn’t see it as a noble move.

“I hear they aren’t going to sell cigarettes anymore because it’s unhealthy, but they sell a lot of unhealthy things here,” said Daminski, a non-smoker who was shopping Friday at Rochester’s East Avenue Wegmans. “I chalk it up to the equivalent of Wal-Mart not selling CDs with explicit lyrics.”

Wegmans will continue to sell beer and wine, Natale said. “It’s a point for debate, but beer and wine are foods that can be safely consumed in moderation,” Natale said. “The same cannot be said for tobacco products.”

Although Wegmans’ tobacco sales have been declining in recent years, these products are still very profitable for the grocery store chain, Natale said. She would not disclose how much revenue Wegmans brings in each year through tobacco sales, because the company doesn’t share financial information, she said.

Cigarettes are more expensive than average at Wegmans because the company does not accept promotional money from tobacco companies, Natale said.

And cigarettes have been located behind the service desk since 2002 to protect against theft, meaning customers have had to stand in a separate line to purchase them.

On Friday, a pack of Marlboro cigarettes at the East Avenue Wegmans was $6.06 before taxes. Compare that with $4.44 at nearby Tops Markets Inc. and $4.27 at a Hess gas station.

Deborah Barry, 55, of Rochester only buys her cigarettes at Wegmans when absolutely necessary. She prefers to travel to a Native American reservation in Genesee County to make her purchase, she said.

But despite Barry’s three-pack-a-day habit, she thought Wegmans’ decision to do away with cigarettes was a good thing.

“I wish I could quit,” she said. “I’ll tell anyone it’s too hard to quit — harder than drugs and alcohol, and I gave both of those up.”