Countdown is removing cigarettes from its stores when they are closed over concerns about an increase in crime.
Director of stores Jason Stockill said the decision comes as the country grapples with a wave of retail crime.
Stockhill said the safety of the supermarket's "team and communities is our absolute priority".
"We are continuing to see increasing levels of retail crime across New Zealand, and our stores are no exception. We hope this move will go some way towards deterring theft and helping keep our team and customers safe in our stores," he said.
"We are always reviewing our health and safety controls to ensure we're doing everything we can to keep everyone safe, and we also continue to work with police and other retailers to develop shared solutions to the challenges we're all facing."
Stockhill said Countdown stores have made several changes as well in the last few months to increase security.
"We have added a number of other new measures in our stores including enhanced team training, push to talk radios and enhanced CCTV surveillance. We are also actively working to add further initiatives in the coming months and investing significantly in preventive measures."
It comes after Countdown in Lynfield, Auckland, was burgled last month. A small number of staff members were working inside the store at the time of the burglary.
The alleged thieves smashed their way into the store and took several items before fleeing in a car.
Burglaries and ram raids have been an ongoing issue over the past year with the Government announcing several measures aimed at tackling the issue including a youth crime package and small retail crime prevention programme.
