Price Chopper: Sales of Concealed Tobacco Products Are Down

JULIE GALLAGHER

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — A year after it did away with in-store tobacco advertising in 72 locations, Price Chopper here is reporting a drop in tobacco sales.

Today double-thick opaque filters obscure logos from brands like Camel and Marlboro on the face of its tobacco centers in New York state. All other materials promoting tobacco in these locations have been removed.

“Price Chopper has made a commitment not to entice the next generation of smokers,” spokeswoman Mona Golub told SN. “We felt by muting the visual impact of both the product and its accompanying colorful logos that we would be able to do that.”

Lackluster sales could be attributed to a number of factors, she said.

Among them is price. Price Chopper began obscuring tobacco messaging just as the single-largest tobacco tax increase ever was levied on cigarettes last April.

In making its decision to do away with promotional materials, the retailer also forfeited promotional allowances once received from its trading partners. Price Chopper raised prices as a result, according to Golub. She would not share specifics.

“Tobacco companies were less than pleased with our desire to make a bigger commitment to not enticing a next generation of smokers than to continue promoting their product,” Golub said.

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