You are the sustainability manager in a small Norwegian food retail chain. One day you get a call from a journalist in a business newspaper, asking you about your policy on tobacco sales and whether you have considered stop selling tobacco products in your stores. The background is the retail chain Lidl, who has announced that they will phase out tobacco sales in Denmark. You answer that you are very concerned with following all laws and regulations regarding tobacco sales, but that you currently have no such plans.
After ending the call, you reflect on the sustainability of tobacco. You are aware that tobacco is one of the most dangerous products in your stores. Every year around 5000 people die of smoking in Norway. Smoking also leads to several types of illnesses and poor health. The number of smokers has gone down considerably. In 2000, around 32% of Norwegian adults smoked daily, today it is only around 7-8%. However, the use of snus has increased considerably and around 14% of Norwegians use snus daily. Fortunately, snus is much less dangerous than smoking (although far from healthy).
Discussion questions
What are the likely consequences of stopping tobacco sales?
Should the chain stop selling tobacco?
What other options do they have to limit (but not stop completely) tobacco sales?