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Sheetz Alerts Ohio Consumers to Tobacco Companies' 'April Fools Trick'; Guarantees Lowest Cigarette Prices Allowed by Law

Posted on: Monday, 30 March 2009, 16:45 CDT

ALTOONA, Pa., March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the April 1 increase in federal excise taxes, Sheetz Convenience Stores in Ohio are guaranteeing the lowest allowed price on cigarettes in the state.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061212/CLTU039LOGO )

"Ohio sets a state minimum on cigarette prices," said Louie Sheetz, executive vice president, marketing, Sheetz, Inc., "and if we sold them for less than the state minimum, I'd end up in jail. However, I can promise you that Sheetz customers in Ohio won't pay a penny more than the state minimum."

Sheetz, Inc. also has been alerting its customers that the tobacco companies raised prices more than three weeks earlier than the April 1 scheduled increase in the federal excise tax. The tax is increasing as part of President Obama's funding plan for State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP.) This program helps states provide health care to more than 5 million of the nation's uninsured children through a matching funds program.

"The cigarette manufacturers think they're pulling an April Fools trick on their customers," said Mr. Sheetz. "Consumers were expecting an increase April 1, but the tobacco companies actually raised the prices as early as March 11, which forced us to raise our retail prices. Now, they're just pocketing that extra money. Add to that the fact that in the past few weeks, they've also raised their own prices, and so now they're taking in an extra seven bucks per carton. In my book, that's more than an April Fool's trick. That's just wrong."

Sheetz held off on passing on the increases as long as possible because it wanted to protect consumers. Stores posted notices at the counter explaining that manufacturers took the increases early. Mr. Sheetz sympathizes with customers who express grief and anger when confronted with the higher prices.

"I'm angry too," said Mr. Sheetz. "It was unnecessary for the cigarette manufacturers to raise prices early, and I'm calling them out on it. At least we're able to guarantee our customers the lowest price on cigarettes in Ohio. That will help."

Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America's fastest growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains, with more than $4.9 billion in revenue for 2008 and more than 12,000 employees. The company operates more than 350 convenience locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of MTO(R) subs, sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. Sheetz currently ranks 82nd on the Forbes list of largest private companies, and has ranked for seven consecutive years on the list of Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com.

CONTACT: Monica Jones

Sheetz, Inc.

814.941.5183 office

SOURCE Sheetz

Source: PR Newswire

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