CVS vs. Walgreens

CVS vs Walgreens

By Brooklyn Basche

As consumers we expect our pharmaceutical sellers to sell only healthy products to promote our wellness. Back in February of 2014,  every CVS pharmacy discontinued selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. Should Walgreens stop selling their tobacco products?

I recently started working at Walgreens so I have some insight as to why the Walgreens cooperation continues to sell these harmful and unhealthy products. Walgreens customers usually come in to pick up last minute things, or if they are in a hurry. Walgreens isn’t as large as Walmart or Pick n’ Save, which can result in lower sales. By selling tobacco products it increases the amount of weekly sales giving Walgreens a larger profit. People like the prices of Walgreens cigarettes because they are cheaper than the gas stations prices. Walgreens has a higher demand for tobacco products with their low prices. When people purchase a pack of cigarettes they are faced with the opportunity cost of enjoying the cigarettes, losing money, and harming their bodies or saving their money and purchasing something else that is healthier.

Walgreens still sells tobacco products over two years after CVS made the decision to stop all sales in regards to cigarettes. CVS was willing to help their customers healthier by no longer giving the choice of buying those harmful temptations. Initially, CVS wasn’t make as much of a profit. They lost 2 billion dollars out of their 150 billion dollars that year. After people realized how much CVS cared about their customers, they had more revenue due to their importance towards health. CVS also had a large increase in sales due to their tobacco products, but in order to be a good health provider they chose to abstain from selling them. On the other hand, Walgreens is going against their slogan, “At the corner of happy and healthy” by continuing to sell these harmful substances, even if it may make some customers happy. Even though Walgreens continues to sell cigarettes, they still are focused on pleasing the customers, and making sure that they find everything they need. Some customers feel the need to have cigarettes, so if they can provide them in order to please them they will do so. Do you think Walgreens should follow in CVS’ footsteps?

Works Cited

"CVS Stops Selling Tobacco - Message from Larry Merlo." CVS Health. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

Maxfield, John. "Why It Doesn't Matter If Wal-Mart and Walgreen Stop Selling Cigarettes." The Motley Fool. The Motley Fool, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.Maxfield, John.

"Why It Doesn't Matter If Wal-Mart and Walgreen Stop Selling Cigarettes." The Motley Fool. The Motley Fool, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.Reed, Robert.

"At the corner of happy and healthy, Walgreens still sells cigarettes. It's time to kick the habit." Chicagotribune.com. N.p., 02 Feb. 2017. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

Share this post