Company officials said the decision is consistent with Stop & Shop’s mission to create healthier communities. Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop, said the chain’s “responsibility as a grocer extends far beyond our shelves, and we are committed to taking bold steps to help our associates, customers and communities work toward better health outcomes.”

“From our team of board-certified dietitians who serve our customers free of charge to our trained and trusted pharmacy staff, Stop & Shop aims to support the health and well-being of the communities we serve – and this tobacco cessation is another way we are achieving that goal,” Reid said.

A spokeswoman for the Quincy, Massachusetts-based grocer declined to say what percentage of Stop & Shop’s company-wide sales come from the sale of tobacco products.

To celebrate the company’s decision, Stop & Shop officials are holding two cigarette buyback events in Boston and Staten Island, NY, on Wednesday. At both events, the first 100 customers to bring in an unopened pack or carton of cigarettes to trade in will receive a Stop & Shop gift card in return. They will also receive a bag of healthy snacks, mints and smoking cessation materials curated in collaboration with Stop & Shop’s longtime partner, the American Cancer Society, as well as $10 Nicorette coupons.

Stephanie Cunha, a spokeswoman for Stop & Shop, said the buyback locations were chosen “because they are two communities with high levels of tobacco use.”

“Staten Island, for example, has a smoking rate of about 20 percent – ​​more than any other borough in New York City,” Cunha said.

Stop & Shop officials had several reasons for not making the buyback program more comprehensive, she said.

“There were several reasons why we couldn’t do this on a larger scale, one of which was the budget,” Cunha said. “The freebies and gift cards offered in exchange for the cigarette packs and cartons are substantial.”