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Self service displays

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Most stores that sell cigarettes place them on counters between things kids like....candy, pretzels, and chips. Why do you suppose they do that???? Because tobacco companies pay them A LOT of money to keep cigarettes there. Why? This is what the members of C.O.S.T. found out.

 

The tobacco industry tricks kids into thinking that smoking is "Kool" through their advertising, promotions, sponsorships of sporting events, and by paying to get their brands of cigarettes to appear in the movies. But tricking kids is only part of the story.  Another important part of their plan is to make it easy for kids to get cigarettes. They know that about 90% of the adults who smoke started before the age of 18. So they realize that if they are going to hook new customers, they have to do it when they are young. So what better way to get them hooked than by first making kids think smoking is "Kool", then making it easy for them to get tobacco products?

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One way that they make it easy for kids to get cigarettes is through self-service displays (cigarettes that are on or in front of the counter.) They pay stores a lot of money to keep them there! This is one way that they spend over 16 million a day on advertising and promotions.

Why do they feel it's worth it? Because it works at getting cigarettes into the hands of children. Children learn to group things that belong together at an early age. Do you remember when you were little, teachers had you match objects? You know, things like a raincoat, an umbrella, and boots. The tobacco companies know that kids make associations. When they pay stores to display cigarettes, candy, and chips next to each other on counters, they are sending a strong message to children. They are telling kids that cigarettes are in the same class as the food they like to eat, so kids think cigarettes are safe. People who run the tobacco companies are pretty clever, aren't they? They start tricking us when we are very young.


Self service displays, besides being a "point of sale advertisement," not only trick children into thinking that tobacco products are safe, they also provide an easy way for children to get them. The young can easily get their hands on tobacco products when they are on or in front of the counter. Many stores, like WaWa put candy or other items children like near the cigarettes.  (At Easter WaWa placed Easter candy and coloring books on top of a large end cap display.Children wanting the candy and books had to reach over rows of cigarettes packs to get them!)

It seems natural for children to hang around aisles in stores where there's candy or toys, so clerks don't pay attention to them. In addition, store clerks are often too busy waiting on customers to watch these displays. To make matters worse, the tobacco companies often package cigarettes with items that are attractive to kids; key chains, cameras, brightly colored pens...... The industry encourages children to shoplift cigarettes to get what is packaged with them. Once outside the store, they are tempted to try the cigarettes, or they give them to their friends.


Cigarettes cost pennies to make. If kids initially get addicted by shoplifting, the industry knows they'll have lifelong paying customers. What a great investment for the industry!

Cigarettes displayed on counters sometimes come in multi- packs. When a child steals a package of them, there are plenty to share. Since it only takes smoking a few cigarettes to get addicted, the tobacco companies can easily hook lots of new customers, very often for life. Shoplifting cigarettes is just one way for children to get tobacco products.

Children can also buy them, and they are more successful at buying them when they don't have to ask a clerk for them. When a child places the cigarettes he wants to purchase on the counter, the clerk isn't given as much time to think about the sale as when the child has to ask for the cigarettes. The sales person doesn't even have to make eye contact with the child. Maybe the clerk doesn't feel as responsible as he would if he actually handed the cigarettes to the minor.
This store keeps some products locked up; but not tobacco products! We wanted to know why this business keeps items like baby powder, Band-Aids, and shaving cream under lock and key, but not tobacco! So our teacher called their district office.


 

She wasn't given an answer. When she asked the woman in charge of the tobacco line, she admitted that they are paid a promotional fee for keeping tobacco products out in the open, but she would not say how much.. No answer was given as to why baby powder and Band Aids are locked up and not tobacco products. BUT WE KNOW WHY!!! They aren't paid promotional fees for the other products, and they don't want them to be stolen. (This tobacco display is in the same store as the one with the baby powder behind lock and key!)

 

Here is another cigarette display. This one has a "We Card" sign, but the display isn't always attended! It can't be. The clerks have chores to do throughout the store. (We also know that many stores with the
"We Card" signs still sell tobacco products to minors. The Health Dept caught a store belonging to this chain selling to kids.

 

This store, which isn't far from an elementary school, use to have cigarettes and candy mixed together. It was down the aisle from the cash register and couldn't be seen. The owner agreed to have the cigarettes put behind the counter, because he said he didn't want to help addict children.


He said lots of kids stole from him. (Even so, it still would have been profitable for him to keep them on the counter, as a tobacco company paid him $4,200 a year to keep a display within easy reach of children. About 1,200 worth of cigarettes were stolen from that display each year.) Like the owner of this convenience store, the local Acme Market put all tobacco products behind the counter and removed hand baskets bearing tobacco ads. They promised to do the same in all of their 177 stores!

In May of 1996, members of C.O.S.T. collected over 500 signatures on a petition which asked their borough council to have self service displays banned from their town. Five signatures were from council members who supported this measure. Yet, the council has not responded to this request, and children continue to have easy access to deadly products in our town. Are the C.O.S.T. members giving up? If you said no, you're right!

We will continue to ask store owners in our town to put cigarettes behind the counter and to get rid of tobacco ads. We hope that people around the country will do the same. If you have self service displays in your town, you might want to tell store owners that:

Self service displays should be banned because:

  • They send the wrong message to children. The cigarettes are placed between things like candy and pretzels. By association, children think cigarettes are as safe as the food they eat.
  • They provide easy access. Children are able to shoplift cigarettes, because the displays can not be monitored by busy clerks.
  • Children are more likely to be sold cigarettes from self service displays than form those displayed behind the counter.

 

Tobacco Vending Machines

In 1996 members of C.O.S.T. learned that tobacco vending machines are about the easiest way for children to buy cigarettes. Students in grades 6-8, with permission from their parents went into town and showed how easy it is. They were successful at all but one attempt. In the unsuccessful attempt, the students went back an hour later and were able to complete their purchase.

Armed with about a dozen packs of cigarettes and personal stories, the students went before their borough council and asked that tobacco vending machines be banned from town. About a month later an ordinance was passed ridding our town of vending machines.

Unfortunately several months later, without our knowledge, another ordinance was passed that allowed them back in establishments that had liquor licenses. We know that children can still get cigarettes from machines that are in "adult" settings. Rooms are rented out for family affairs, etc.

Members of C.O.S.T. don't intend to give up. We'll keep going before our town and state officials asking them to protect kids.

If you want to get rid of vending machines in your town/city. The following information may help you.

Findings from the American Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine:

  • minors were sold cigarettes through vending machines 79% of the time
  • minors were sold cigarettes through vending machines in bars 77% of the time, in private clubs 80% of the time, in restaurants 88% of the time, and in gas stations 99% of the time
  • that increased penalties do not result in measurable reduction in sales from vending machines, partly because employees do not feel responsible fo monitoring sales by vending machines
  • moving vending machines further inside the establishment and having merchants ask if a minor is of age were not effective in reducing ales to minors
  • that employees allowed minors to purchase cigarettes through vending machines with locking devices 39% to 48% of the time.

Other studies:

  • According to a Robert Wood Johnson survey 91% of adults would like to see cigarette vending machines banned to control the illegal purchase of cigarettes by minors.
  • The American Cancer Society surveyed two high schools in Bergen County and found that 31% of high school smokers buy from the machines.
  • According to the American Cancer Society, a study was made in Teaneck, NJ on June 20, 1994 that showed that a youngster was able to purchase cigarettes from 6 out of 9 machines. Two of the three remaining were out of cigarettes. The ninth store was closed.
  • Vending machines should not be allowed in bars. Bartenders are often too busy to monitor cigarette sales. There are two surveys indicating that underage minors in Teaneck and the Bronx were able to purchase through the machines in taverns and bars as easily as other establishments.

Don't let your town officials compromise by having lock out devices placed on vending machines!

Why placing locking devices on vending machines is not a solution:

  • It complicates enforcement. Some just don't install locks and some get tired of them and have the locks disconnected.
  • Any machine can be jimmied to thwart the intent.
  • The same people who allowed the installation of the machines and allowed children to buy from them are now asking you to entrust them not to sell to minors.
  • Minors were able to purchase from "locked" vending machines 48% of the time after one year at St. Paul locations where they had made previous purchases. (American Journal of Public Health).

Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz Perez worked with members of C.O.S.T. on Bill # A-125 which was introduced to the NJ State Assembly. Bill A-125 would require all tobacco displays to be placed out of the reach of children and would rid our state of tobacco vending machines. Will you support us by writing to the members of the NJ State Assembly Health Committee? Go to our "Get Involved" page to learn more.

To protect children in your town, go to store owners in your area and tell them what you've learned. Write editorials for your local paper. Write to your legislators. Our "Get Involved" page will tell you how.

Some store owners, legislators, advertisers, and owners of tobacco stocks, like the tobacco industry put money before the welfare of children. This won't stop until we join together to make them stop!

To see pictures of other self-service displays visit the "Big Tobacco's Seldom Told Plan for Our Children" site created by the American Lung Association of Colorado.