Hannaford plans to stop the sale of tobacco products in all stores, according to a Newscenter Maine report.
Hannaford spokesman Eric Blom said the store plans to transition out of selling tobacco products by this fall.
The Maine-based grocery chain has been in operation since 1883. Today, it has more than 180 stores across Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York.
New England
"We have been moving away from tobacco items for some time, due to our commitment around health, reducing the number of items sold," Blom said in an email to Newscenter Maine. "The decision to fully eliminate tobacco is part of our focus on providing more healthy products around the front of our stores, to support customers’ wellness."
In July, a law was passed to fund tobacco discontinuance and to ensure that the products were taxed at the same rate in Maine. The law is designed to equalize the tax on tobacco products in line with cigarettes at 43 percent of the wholesale sales price. This applies to e-cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco.
