Hannaford Will Stop Selling Tobacco Products at All New York Stores

Hannaford Supermarkets are pulling tobacco products from shelves of 183 of their stores in the Northeast, including those in the Utica Rome area.

The grocery store chain will stop selling tobacco at stores in New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine.

The tobacco products will be phased out by the fall, Hannaford spokesperson Eric Blom told WMTW.

We have been moving away from tobacco items for some time, due to our commitment around health and reducing the number of items sold. The decision to fully eliminate tobacco is part of our focus on providing more healthy products around the front of our stores, to support customers' wellness.

Specific dates when tobacco products will be pulled from shelves will vary from store to store.

Target became the first retail chain to stop selling tobacco products in 1996. CVS, jumped on the bandwagon, becoming the first pharmacy, in 2014.

Walgreens, Walmart and Rite Aid still sell tobacco products.