The Fond du Lac County Tobacco Control program coordinator is praising one of the Midwest’s largest grocery store chains for announcing it will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products as of January 1. Suburban St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets Inc operates 115 stores in five states including Wisconsin. The privately held company already does not sell e-cigarettes or vaping products. Fond du Lac County tobacco control program coordinator Sandy Bernier says “It sounds like they’re putting the health of the public before the profis they would make.” The company chairman and CEO says “While tobacco is a profitable part of our business, the company’s mission is to nourish lives.” Other chains have stopped selling tobacco products in recent years including CVS. Walmart announced in May it was raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21 from 18.
