2 May 2014

Dairies start to cut back on cigarettes

7:36 pm on 2 May 2014

Some dairies around the country are starting to remove cigarettes from sale.

Action on Smoking and Health says it's aware of a handful of stores in Northland, Auckland, Whanganui and Greymouth who have made the decision, but there could be more.

Tam Macken, who owns the Cheltenham Dairy on Auckland's North Shore, says she has stopped selling cigarettes because she didn't want children to be negatively influenced by having cigarettes on sale.

She says the response has been largely positive, but some smoking customers have been annoyed at being turned away.

Mrs Macken says she offers other products such as coffees and smoothies to make up for the turnover lost on tobacco.