How Cigarette Sales are Killing 7-Eleven
As more Americans quit smoking, the healthy change is producing an unexpected outcome — it’s killing 7-Eleven.
In October 2024, Seven & i Holdings (7-Eleven’s parent company) announced its plan to close 444 North American stores. One factor impacting the decision is the decline in cigarette sales, which have dropped by 26% since 2019.
By this point, nobody needs to tell you about the dangers of smoking and vaping. The habit can have harmful — potentially deadly — effects, but cigarette sales were also helping to keep 7-Eleven alive.
The fact that so many people are making the healthy decision has forced many convenience stores to reexamine their business models. And despite the recent wave of closures, 7-Eleven seems to have a healthy outlook for its future.
7-Eleven’s smoky story
7-Eleven dates back to 1927, and its name (though not its original moniker) comes from its hours of operation. In the 1940s, the store was noted for being open from 7 am to 11 pm, seven days a week. This was an uncommon practice for the time, and it allowed customers to pick up items at convenience stores when traditional grocers were closed.
The brand massively expanded during the 1960s and 1970s. This was a time when smoking was significantly more common…
