CINCINNATI -- The nation's largest grocery chain, The Kroger Co., has joined with the attorneys general of 41 states and Guam in an agreement to help reduce the sale of cigarettes and tobacco to minors.
The Cincinnati-based retailer will change the way it sells, promotes and advertises cigarettes in all of its 2,468 supermarkets in 31 states under two dozen banners and 779 convenience stores in 15 states under 5 banners (all but 92 of the c-stores are company owned).
The company's c-stores are in 16 states: Loaf 'N Jug in Colorado, [image-nocss] New Mexico, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming; Turkey Hill Minit Markets in Pennsylvania; Tom Thumb Food Stores in Florida and Alabama; Kwik Shop Inc. in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska; and Quik Stop Markets Inc. in California and Nevada.
The "Assurance of Voluntary Compliance" (AVC) with Kroger is just one of a number of such agreements produced by an ongoing, multi-state enforcement effort. Previous agreements cover all 7-Eleven, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid stores, and all gas stations and c-stores operating under the Conoco, Phillips 66, 76, Exxon, Mobil and Chevron brand names, in the signing states.
In total, the agreements cover thousands of retail outlets across the nation. Launched in 2000, the multi-state enforcement effort by the attorneys general focuses on retailers with poor records of selling tobacco products to minors. State laws prohibit such sales.
The enforcement program's goal is to secure the companies' agreement to take specific corrective actions. The agreements incorporate a number of policies and practices to reduce sales to minors as developed by the attorneys general in consultation with researchers and state and federal tobacco control officials.
Under the agreement, Kroger Co. will take the following steps to prevent youth access to tobacco at all of its retail stores:
Provide annual notices of the importance of complying with youth access laws. Require franchisees to report violations to the corporate office. Modify franchise agreements to provide that violations of youth access laws could constitute grounds for termination or non-renewal of the franchise agreement. Require ID checks of persons purchasing tobacco products who appear to be of a specified age. Prohibit self-service displays of tobacco products, the use of vending machines to sell products, distribution of free samples, sale of cigarette lookalike products and the sale of smoking paraphernalia to minors. Hire an independent entity to conduct random compliance checks annually in the participating states. Limit tobacco signage to brand names, logos, other trademarks and pricing and ensure that all tobacco advertising inside the store is confined to the area where tobacco products are sold. Train employees on state and local laws and company policies regarding tobacco sales to minors. Minimize the use of anyone under age 18 for positions involving the sale of tobacco. Pay $325,000 to states for their investigation costs.The participating AGs represent Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and Guam.
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