Same-store sales growth slowed in November at Walgreen Co. as a revival in front-end business during the previous two months lost steam. The drug store chain said Wednesday that same-store sales in November rose 3.9%, down from respective 4.9% and 5.
Pharmacy and drug retail and wholesale groups say a new National Drug Code (NDC) policy being enacted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) may block Medicare Part D benefits for many common prescription drugs that had been covered for years.
Drugstore.com tallied the highest number of customer orders in its history on the Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend, better known as "Cyber Monday" for its heavy online shopping activity. The online retailer said Tuesday that this holiday season its main drugstore.com site and its beauty.
Duane Reade Inc. is working with NCR Corp. to deploy Blockbuster Express DVD rental kiosks in most of the metropolitan New York drug chain’s stores. The kiosks will be deployed in 200-plus Duane Reade stores over the next few months.
MinuteClinic, the retail clinic arm of CVS Caremark Corp., and health benefits provider Humana Inc. plan to collaborate on activities to broaden Humana members’ access to convenient health care services.
Walgreen Co. has promoted two legal executives and hired another executive for its pharmacy systems team. The drug store chain on Monday said Laura Merten, currently divisional vice president of health law, has been named divisional vice president of compliance, loss prevention and profit sharing.
With many consumers putting extra emphasis on finding holiday deals this year, Rite Aid Corp. is offering a gift guide to aid customers as well as a gift certificate program to spur purchases.
With consumers keeping a tight rein on their spending dollars, category managers are being compelled to change the way they operate, drug retail executives said in a recent Chain Drug Review roundtable in New York City.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has expressed support for the Food and Drug Administration’s recent initiatives to crack down on "rogue" pharmacy web sites.
Charles R. "Cork" Walgreen III, grandson of Walgreen Co.’s founder, plans to step down from the company’s board early next year, along with longstanding directors Cordell Reed and Marilou von Ferstel.
Fred’s Inc. aims to make pharmacy a centerpiece of its stores under a major rebranding and remodeling program.
MinuteClinic, the retail health clinic arm of CVS Caremark Corp., has opened its first clinic in Washington, D.C. The company said Tuesday that the new clinic is situated inside a CVS pharmacy store on Bladensburg Road.
Kathleen Wilson-Thompson has been named senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Walgreen Co., and Charles Greener has been appointed vice president of corporate affairs and communications, a newly created position at the retailer.
Walgreen Co. has launched a redesigned web site that the drug chain said provides new healthy living and product resources plus time-saving pharmacy and shopping tools and services. The new Walgreens.
Ongoing softness in front-of-store business likely will rein in sales growth for drug retailers next year, according to a 2010 U.S. retail outlook report released this week by Fitch Ratings. The rating agency forecast top-line growth at drug stores to "remain steady or improve modestly" in 2010.
Take Care Health Systems, the retail clinic subsidiary of Walgreen Co., has received the rest of its seasonal flu vaccine supply for the year and is now providing immunizations at its locations nationwide.
