Reitan Retail, the operator of Narvesen and 7-Eleven, will phase out and stop selling cigarettes in Norway by 2026.
Speaking to E24, Anniken Staubo, Purchasing Director at Reitan Retail, commented, “We already see a declining demand for cigarettes and want to contribute to phasing this out in the long term.”
This move also plays a part in the company’s overall sustainability strategy. “There are major environmental and social sustainability challenges in the production of tobacco. We plan for a gradual phasing out of cigarettes in our range and follow the development of any new changes in rules and laws,” explained Staubo.
According to Statistics Norway, 16% of Norwegians aged between 16 and 74 use mouth tobacco compared to only 7% of them smoking cigarettes daily.
Norgesgruppen, the operator behind the chain Joker, has stated that the chain has no plans to phase out cigarette sales.
Image: reitanretail.no