A third of all convenience store owners in England would stop the sale of traditional cigarettes in favour of smoke-free products to help adult smokers switch.
This is according to a new study by KAM and Lake Research, commissioned by Philip Morris Limited (PML). The Big Switch Report looked to discover whether convenience retailers in England were helping smokers switch away from cigarettes by improving access to, and awareness of, smoke-free products, like e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products.
The research involved over 1,400 convenience store owners and more than 1,000 former adult smokers.
The large majority (68%) of convenience store owners stated that they want better relationships with smoking customers to help them switch, whilst 8 in 10 ex-smokers would welcome more advice from convenience stores on smoke-free products, with two-thirds agreeing stores could do more to help smokers abandon cigarettes.
Meanwhile, over two-thirds of shopkeepers said they would overlook local competition and work together to help communities go smoke-free, while more than half (58%) would collaborate with pharmacies, GP surgeries and stop smoking services to support smokers further.
Aman Uppal, who runs a One Stop convenience store in Coventry, said: “I’ve converted three generations of one family to smoke-free alternatives. As a retailer, I have an opportunity to introduce these products into my community and get people away from cigarettes which is something I believe in. I am seeing other retailers doing the same thing, which is hugely positive.”
Other key findings from the report include:
- 59% of store owners consider the smoke-free category ‘the future of sales’
- Almost half (47%) of store owners believe they could be more involved in helping adult smokers switch to smoke-free alternatives
- Over half (52%) of store owners say their adult customers use smoke-free products to move away from cigarettes
- Nearly two-thirds (64%) of former smokers now using smoke-free alternatives feel a convenience store is an appropriate place for smokers to be advised about smoke-free products
The report also highlights several challenges preventing retailers from helping to switch smokers to alternative products. Many lack sufficient knowledge in the smoke-free category, which has impacted consumer confidence. A percentage worry about building a sustainable business without combustible products.
Christian Woolfenden, Managing Director at PML, said: “The Big Switch Report reveals how switching adult smokers from cigarettes to smoke-free products has become a new pillar of community-focused retailing. Rather than retaining customers as cigarette smokers, convenience retailers are building stronger connections over the countertop to improve awareness of, and access to, alternative products like e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products.
“As the only tobacco company purposefully working to phase out cigarettes completely, we will continue to support retailers, so they’re able to communicate the benefits of smoke-free alternatives to their adult customers who are unable to quit tobacco and nicotine products completely.”
James Lowman, Chief Executive at the Association of Convenience Retailers (ACS), added: “Convenience store retailers are embedded in their communities, with a reach unlike any other sector in the UK grocery market.
“This community grounding of convenience stores enables the people running and working in stores to be acutely in tune with the needs of their customers, but retailers also need to look at data from wider research to keep abreast of trends.
“The e-cigarette and smoke-free category is changing fast, so it’s important to understand consumer attitudes and benchmark with your own experiences and sales information.”
