CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) is continuing its push for healthier lifestyles among its customers by having candy placed at the back of the stores instead of the front. Healthier snacks will consequently replace the candy at the front sections. This comes three years after the drug store chain halted the selling of cigarettes at its outlets.
Additionally CVS Health will be getting rid of foods which contain oils that are partially hydrogenated. CVS Health will also stop selling tanning oils as well as sunscreens which have a sun protection factor that is lower than 15.
Healthy push
According to Nielsen, a market analyst, candy comprises about 5% of the sales at the CVS Health outlets. The drug store chain is not, however, expected to suffer like it did when it stopped selling tobacco when annual sales amounting to $2 billion were wiped away. Though cigarette sales comprised a tiny percentage of the overall revenues in 2014, they were instrumental in driving the sales of other offerings and products.
The argument at the time was that it was hard for CVS Health to continue to vouch for healthier lifestyles when it was stocking products that harmed the health of its customers. That argument now falls flat since ice cream, sodas, snacks and candy are being blamed for contributing to the obesity crisis in the United States.
Obesity reducing life expectancy
Earlier in the year, a study done by researchers from the school of medicine at New York University and Cleveland Clinic showed that obesity was reducing life expectancy by almost 47% more than cigarettes. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, the obesity rates reach a record high in 2016.
Another argument put forward by CVS Health when eradicating tobacco from its stores was that it would help in attracting health insurance firms in managing prescription drug plans. This has since then paid off as revenues from pharmacy services have increased by 35% since CVS Health dropped tobacco.
On Monday shares of CVS Health Corp rose by 0.23% to close the day at $79.93.
