Despite a demand from adult consumers, retailers are continually forced to defend their right to sell flavored cigars responsibly. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor While tobacco has long been a bread-and-butter product for convenience stores, accounting for millions in individual unit sales and boosting the profits from the average smoker’s market basket, it remains a [...]
“The OCSA will continue to offer its support to any and all municipalities that wish to join the fight against contraband tobacco,” says Dave Bryans, CEO of the Ontario Convenience Store Association. The Ontario Convenience Store Association (OCSA) applauded members of the Thunder Bay City Council, who passed a motion against contraband tobacco at a [...]
E-cigs “are growing in popularity . . . no question about that,” says Chad Maynard, spokesman for ElectronicCigarette.net on the category. Electronic cigarettes might not be marketed as smoking cessation aids, but recent studies posted in the American Journal of Public Health suggest that many smokers are turning the the product for that reason. Smokers [...]
In recent years, roll-your-own tobacco machines have surfaced at various retail locations putting convenience stores at a competitive disadvantage on price. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor America, and in particular its lawmakers, remains caught in a love-hate relationship with tobacco. That push-pull has resulted in very well-publicized attempts to dissuade Americans from using tobacco, or [...]
Although the electronic cigarette category in the U.S. is barely five years old, a dizzying number of brands are vying for the attention of retailers—and more are entering the fray just about every day. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor In a report released in May, UBS Investment Research likened the chaotic e-cigarette category to the e-commerce [...]
MSA and Paradigm Sample, in partnership with Convenience Store Decisions, examine the purchasing habits of adult tobacco consumers at U.S. convenience stores. By Trish Temmerman, Management Science Associates, and John Lofstock, Editor. The tobacco industry continues to face challenges on multiple fronts, namely ongoing legislative initiatives and the ever-present high rate of taxation. These persistent [...]
With various federal laws banning or limiting certain cigarette product advertising, cigarette packaging itself has become a commercially accepted form of advertising. By John Lofstock, Editor. In early April, the Village of Haverstraw, N.Y., adopted a first-of-its-kind ordinance in the U.S. that requires retailers to keep tobacco out of public view. To learn more about [...]
Reynolds American Inc. aims to achieve market leadership through its new, online transformation strategy. Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) announced that its www.reynoldsamerican.com Website has added a new “Transforming Tobacco” section to inform visitors about the company’s strategic framework. “We find ourselves at RAI helping to resolve controversial issues on tobacco and advancing commercial objectives at [...]
Altria releases a new smoking product that contains no tobacco. U.S. tobacco giant Altria Group Inc. moved into uncharted territory this week as it released the Verve: a tobacco-less nicotine product. The maker of Marlboro plans to launch a non-dissolving, lozenge-shaped nicotine disc called Verve in the next several days. It’s the latest advance by [...]
Reports find that about one in every eight stores in Virginia sells tobacco or alcohol to underage buyers. The Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) now has a program to see if alcohol and tobacco retailers follow the law when it comes to selling to underage buyers. The state conducted more than 9,700 underage [...]
The prospects for OTP throughout 2012 are good, as growth remains strong. But a swelling number of revenue-strapped state legislatures continue to hungrily eye the category. “I think the category will continue to expand,” predicted Matt Hieb, category manager for Gate Petroleum, which operates 225 convenience stores in six Southeastern states.“The growth of the brands [...]
When sold responsibly, lighters are a dependable source of revenue, even as the number of smokers declines. Lighters are a much-needed tool for the home grill and candles. Another trend helping push lighter sales in c-stores is flavored cigars, which continues to grow at an impressive rate. “Tobacco accessories are alive and well, evolving with [...]
Administration continues to push for graphic warning labels on cigarette packages. Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration appealed the February 29, 2012 decision issued by Federal District Court Judge Richard Leon which held that the FDA’s new graphic images and text warnings for cigarette packaging and cigarette advertisements violate free speech protections under the First [...]
“We are interested in products that are on the cutting edge,” says Jean-Marie Bourque, Couche-Tard category manager. On the heels of an impressive 2011 retail expansion, blu Cigs has started 2012 by boosting the number of U.S. retail locations carrying blu to nearly 20,000. Now, the e-cigarette company is celebrating another milestone—expansion into the Canadian [...]
R.J. Reynolds delivers on its pledge to its retail partners with a powerful new online tool: Get Engaged. R.J. Reynolds has launched Get Engaged, a new feature on EngageRJRT.com, the online resource for R.J. Reynolds’ retail partners. Get Engaged was created as a research and learning platform intended to provide retailers with shopper insights and [...]