Rite Aid debuts fitness equipment line
Expanding on its wellness offerings, Rite Aid Corp. is rolling out fitness expert Denise Austin’s new line of home fitness products, Forever Fit, at its stores.
Retail News
Walgreens’ November sales impacted by generics
Generic drug introductions continued to undercut same-store sales results at Walgreen Co. in November. Walgreens said Wednesday that comparable-store sales fell 6.2% in November, down from a 5.9% decrease in October.
RxAlly tabs Chater to lead clinical services
Rebecca Chater has joined pharmacy alliance RxAlly as vice president of health outcomes. Rebecca Chater RxAlly said Tuesday that in the role, Chater will provide leadership and clinical management of RxAlly solutions, as well as integrating business development with clinical staff and operations.
Pharmacists get high marks in terms of integrity
Americans continue to rate pharmacists highly on the scales of honesty and ethics, according to Gallup’s annual survey of professional integrity. Of 1,015 U.S. adults polled, 75% rated pharmacists "very high" or "high" in terms of honesty and ethics. That put pharmacists at No.
CVS, MinuteClinic, ex-NFL players promote flu vaccinations
CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic are partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NFL Retired Players Association to boost awareness about the importance of getting a flu shot annually. NFL Hall of Famer Carl Eller got a flu vaccine at a CVS drug store in Minneapolis.
Rite Aid cuts price of flu shots
Rite Aid Corp. is offering discounted flu shots in recognition of National Influenza Vaccination Week. The drug chain said Monday that through Dec. 15, flu vaccines will be available at all Rite Aid pharmacies at a reduced price of $24.99, subject to state regulations.
Jean Coutu Group buys stake in orthotics seller
Jean Coutu Group plans to acquire a 50% stake in Le Groupe Médicus Inc., a provider of orthotic and prosthetic devices. Financial terms of the deal, announced Friday, weren’t disclosed.
Longtime Safeway CEO Burd to retire
Steve Burd, chairman and chief executive officer of Safeway Inc., plans to retire as CEO and a board director in May. The food and drug retailer said late Wednesday that Burd, who has served as its CEO for 20 years, will officially retire at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on May 14.
Bartell Drugs hires CFO
Rob Jensen has joined Bartell Drugs as chief financial officer. The Puget Sound-area drug chain said late Thursday that Jensen previously was senior vice president and CFO at Car Toys, a Seattle-based retailer of mobile entertainment, performance accessories and wireless phones.
Walgreens sets Hollywood premiere for 8,000 store
Walgreen Co. plans to open its 8,000th store — and first West Coast flagship location — tomorrow at the famous corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood, Calif. Walgreens said Friday that the Los Angeles flagship store, slated to open its doors to the public at 10 a.m. on Dec. 1, will
Kinney Drugs to promote merchandising exec
Kinney Drugs announced that vice president of marketing Jim Wuest is retiring and that it will promote merchandising chief Rick Cognetti to an expanded role.
NCPA reports on medication adherence initiative
The National Community Pharmacists Association has released "Moving Forward on a Solid Foundation: Year One Progress Report," which examines the progress of its Pharmacists Advancing Medication Adherence (PAMA) effort.
CVS/pharmacy offers gift card trade-ins
CVS/pharmacy stores have launched a gift card exchange in conjunction with Plastic Jungle. Plastic Jungle said Wednesday that the program marks a first. Through the exchange, CVS customers can sell unspent gift cards in-store and get a CVS electronic gift card in return.
NACDS Foundation dinner raises $1.8 million
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation raised about $1.8 million for its research, charitable and educational initiatives at the 14th Annual NACDS Foundation Dinner in New York City. Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.
Walgreens sells assets picked up from USA Drug
Walgreen Co. has agreed to sell SAJ Distributors and the Select Brand private-label line to L&R Distributors Inc. Walgreens acquired SAJ Distributors in July when it purchased the USA Drug regional drug chain from Stephen L. LaFrance Holdings Inc. and members of the LaFrance family.
Consumer familiarity with retail clinics growing
About one in five U.S. adults has visited a retail health clinic, up from roughly one in 10 six years ago, according to research by Kalorama Information. The health care market researcher said Monday that of 2,000 U.S. adults it surveyed online, 21.3% have gone to a retail clinic, a significant gain