Posted on 09/04/2014 11:32:12 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
CVS Caremark has followed through with its long-promised cigarette ban, as the tobacco-free pharmacy chain officially changed its name to CVS Health.
"The sale of cigarettes and tobacco at CVS pharmacy stores ends today," said Larry Merlo, president and CEO of CVS, in a video statement on the company web site. "By eliminating the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products in our stores, we can make a difference in the health of all Americans."
CVS (CVS) stopped selling cigarettes nearly a month earlier than expected, since the chain had previously announced the ban would go into effect by Oct. 1.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Actually, isn’t this anti-nanny state? The government depends on people smoking for $$$$.
You’re not gonna cry are you?
it’s free market capitalism, actually.
CVS is betting (and it is very much a bet) that they’ll make a lot more money off of the “Little Clinic” style health services providers it wants to put in it’s stores than it will off of tobacco sales.
CVS is partnering with one of the big national hospital chains (I think, not Kaiser) and offloading tobacco is part of the deal.
They still sell alcohol, candy, potato chips and other junk foods high in fat and salt.
“Corporate Nanny State” is a contradiction in terms
A private business has every right to decide not to sell a product, unless the gays get upset. /s
From what I observed, it just attracted a lot more traffic to the store. People would come in, buy their cheap smokes and leave.
After all these years, I particularly remember one black guy, who dressed head to toe in white, including a suit jacket, tie and Panama hat. He'd come in like clockwork every pay day, peel a $100 from the outside of his bankroll (if you looked close, everything else in the roll was $1s, $5s and $10s), buy two packs of cheap cigars and walk out with his change. He was a pleasant, polite man, late 40s or early 50s, but he dressed the same whether it was 90 degrees, hot and dry or 40 degrees and raining outside.
it’s free market capitalism, actually.
Yes it is! If this causes CVS to go bankrupt that is fine as long as they don’t beg for a govt bailout...
Private enterprise is entitled to make this sort of a bet. They hope to get enough mileage off the “we’re healthy” theme to more than cover the reduced profit that would normally be expected from whatever product replaced tobacco on the shelves. Given the reduced tobacco sales and the low-price competition from big box stores plus greater convenience of the local gas station, that may be a good bet. I’m no more or less likely to go to CVS because of this, but I imagine some people will like the image their marketing team will manufacture.
I’m more inclined to believe CVS is doing this solely because they hate smokers. BTW, I don’t smoke.
So... I’m curious as to what percentage of their revenue stream was selling tobacco...
Can’t be good for stock prices.
Okay.
They’ve made a business decision. That is their right.
I do wonder if it is going to have the effect they seem to think it is going to have.
I haven’t smoked in decades, finally put out the fire, but I think the whole thing is ridiculous and pandering to elitists. I don’t shop at Cvs anyway because I don’t care for the way the stores are set up and their prices suck.
Leon Redbone in black-face?
Let’s hope they’re not “too big to fail”...
Yup, like I said it’s a bet.
But little clinics are really increasing in popularity. With basic walk in services at about $80 a pop, then tacking on tests and lab work (for which they need the healthcare parnerships), as well as revenues from the convienience of fulfilling prescriptions right there on site, it’s not really that bad of one.
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