Reports suggest that Walgreens are testing a smaller store concept that focuses on pharmacy, highlighting health and wellness.
CNBC have reported that the retailer has launched more than 30 small-format pharmacies as part of the pilot. These new concept-style stores come in at around a quarter of the size of a typical Walgreens’ store, which averages around 13,500sq ft. The new units display a product assortment that put forward health and wellness with fewer typical drugstore front-end items.
According to the report, pharmacists will place a central role within the new format, with an aim of providing the type of personalised cate that can ultimately result in better health outcomes. “Every customer and every marketplace is a little different, so we’re just looking to understand exactly where this would fit,” says Walgreens’ Group VP of Pharmacy Operations Rina Shah. “Those include “pharmacy deserts,” where customers don’t have a nearby place to pick up prescriptions. That’s an environment where a small-format pharmacy may fit in really well.”
