7-Eleven Agrees to Tobacco Safeguards
DALLAS -- 7-Eleven Inc. reached an agreement with 40 states’ attorneys general under which the stores will improve procedures to make sure minors are not buying tobacco products, the Albany (N.Y.) Business Review reported.
New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Dallas-based 7-Eleven agreed to pay the participating states $375,000 as part of the settlement.
The agreement requires that 7-Eleven do the following at all company-owned stores:
• Check the ID of any person purchasing tobacco products when the person appears to be under the age of 27, and accept only valid government-issued photo ID as proof of age.
• Prohibit self-service displays of tobacco products, the use of vending machines to sell tobacco products, distribution of free samples, sale of cigarette look-alike products and the sale of smoking paraphernalia to minors.
• Hire an independent entity to conduct random compliance checks of 900 7-Eleven stores
annually in the signing states.
• Restrict in-store advertising of tobacco products adjacent to products popular with minors and outdoor and outward-facing advertising within 500 feet of schools and playgrounds.
• Train employees on state and local laws and company policies regarding tobacco sales to
minors, including explaining the health-related reasons for laws that restrict youth access to tobacco.
7-Eleven will also take steps to effect compliance by its franchisees with the provisions of the agreement and state laws concerning tobacco products.
The 7-Eleven "Assurance of Voluntary Compliance" (AVC) is the sixth such agreement produced by an ongoing, multi-state enforcement effort and is similar to ones reached in recent years between attorneys general from around the country and such tobacco retailers as Rite Aid, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.
New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Dallas-based 7-Eleven agreed to pay the participating states $375,000 as part of the settlement.
The agreement requires that 7-Eleven do the following at all company-owned stores:
• Check the ID of any person purchasing tobacco products when the person appears to be under the age of 27, and accept only valid government-issued photo ID as proof of age.
• Prohibit self-service displays of tobacco products, the use of vending machines to sell tobacco products, distribution of free samples, sale of cigarette look-alike products and the sale of smoking paraphernalia to minors.
• Hire an independent entity to conduct random compliance checks of 900 7-Eleven stores
annually in the signing states.
• Restrict in-store advertising of tobacco products adjacent to products popular with minors and outdoor and outward-facing advertising within 500 feet of schools and playgrounds.
• Train employees on state and local laws and company policies regarding tobacco sales to
minors, including explaining the health-related reasons for laws that restrict youth access to tobacco.
7-Eleven will also take steps to effect compliance by its franchisees with the provisions of the agreement and state laws concerning tobacco products.
The 7-Eleven "Assurance of Voluntary Compliance" (AVC) is the sixth such agreement produced by an ongoing, multi-state enforcement effort and is similar to ones reached in recent years between attorneys general from around the country and such tobacco retailers as Rite Aid, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.