The Veghel wholesaler Sligro made extra profit last year mainly thanks to the sale of cigarettes in the Netherlands. This is evident from the company’s annual figures. However, the wholesaler will permanently stop selling tobacco from 2025. According to retail expert Peter ter Hark, this will not make much difference to the future of the company.
Sligro had previously stopped selling cigarettes and other smoking products to many retailers. However, sales to gas stations continued last year. And more tobacco was sold at gas stations last year, because its sale in supermarkets and the catering industry is prohibited.
As a result, the turnover of the Veghel wholesaler increased by 2.6 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. An increase that Sligro owes almost entirely to tobacco sales. If that is not included, sales would have increased by 0.4 percent in 2024.
Stopped when you don’t have to
Since January 1, Sligro has also stopped selling tobacco at gas stations. According to Dutch law, tobacco can still be sold there until 2030, but the Veghel wholesaler has chosen to stop earlier.
This is partly due to the government’s discouragement policy to reduce tobacco sales. In addition, Sligro is concerned about people’s health and the sustainability goals that the company wants to meet, the spokesperson previously explained to Omroep Brabant.
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The question is what this decision will do for the company’s turnover next year, since the increase in turnover was due to tobacco sales. However, according to supermarket expert Peter ter Hark, it will not make much difference for wholesalers. “The margin on tobacco is not much, so it takes a lot of work without making much money,” he explains.
‘Effect for Sligro will not be great’
According to Ter Hark, the profit on tobacco sales mainly lies in the combination with other purchases. “People who buy tobacco somewhere often combine such a purchase with other things.” Although, according to the expert, it is mainly the smaller supermarkets that notice this.
That principle does not entirely apply to Sligro, because it only sold to petrol stations. “It may be the case that a petrol station is now also less likely to purchase other products from Sligro. Think of internet shopping: you can make all your purchases more quickly in one and the same place. But I also expect that it will not have much impact on the turnover of Sligro.”
The fact that Sligro itself decides to no longer sell tobacco will also bring some positive benefits to the chain, according to Ter Hark. “Many supermarkets have stopped selling tobacco earlier than necessary. That has everything to do with the image of a company. This will also be good for Sligro’s image.”