CVS Also Sells Doritos

Will they be pulling those off the shelves as well?

I've been debating about writing this post ever since the news came out that CVS will no longer sell cigarettes come October. While I find it insane that it took until 2014 for a company that claims it's in healthcare to make this decision, I must applaud the move nonetheless, and desperately hope it will inspire other companies to follow suit. It's true that this move is only going to cost them a small percentage of revenue, but it's still billions of dollars - not an insignificant decision at all. So part of me wanted to let the good roll, and not point out that if it wants to continue calling itself a healthcare company, CVS should take a look at its other aisles as well.

But then I happened upon the latest obesity reports and I couldn't help myself.

Last year, I wrote an encouraging post about America's health trajectory - we were enjoying a two-year pattern (if you can call two years a pattern) of obesity rate declines in 2011 and 2012. The Pollyanna in me fully expected to see the trend continue into 2013, but unfortunately, we went in the opposite direction and are now at an all-time high of 27.2%. 27.2%?!

Tobacco has long been recognized as a killer: this latest report from the World Health Organization cites it as responsible for 33% of cancer cases in the U.S.  But guess what? Bad diet, obesity and physical inactivity rings in as a close second at 28%, and I can only imagine these figures are going to flip-flop at some point as smoking rates have steadily declined for decades - and obesity rates have steadily inclined. Have you looked at the food CVS sells lately? Chips, soda and candy make up the vast majority. Yes, cigarettes cause alarming amounts of cancer. But too much of these foods do too, in increasing amounts. In fact, new cancer cases worldwide are expected to skyrocket over the next two decades from 14 million in 2012 to over 22 million - all while smoking, the current leading cause of cancer, will likely decline. Ponder that for a bit.

I eat Doritos from time to time. I eat candy from time to time. I'm not writing this to tell everyone to swear off this stuff forever. (For my perspective on moderation, refer back to my 90/10 post.) But if CVS is truly serious about positioning itself as a health care company, and not just looking for a jump in brand equity measures, then it should put its money where its mouth is and do a full store inventory.