The Walgreens Boots Alliance empire was created through the combination of the US drugstore giant Walgreens and the UK’s leading pharmacy retailer Alliance Boots in late 2014.
The merger secured Boots chairman Stefano Pessina’s long-held ambition of creating a global health and beauty business.
Its scale was given a boost a few years later, when it agreed a deal to acquire 1,932 stores from US pharmacy rival Rite Aid.
Walgreens Boots Alliance in the UK has been re-investing funds in technology to up its digital capabilities, as well as taking the Advantage Card loyalty scheme online. As part of its plans it wants to build a “really seamless omnichannel offer”.
Boots remains the UK’s largest chemist chain by some margin and measures such as overhauling its largest beauty halls is helping drive the UK business forward. The retailer is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance's retail pharmacy international division.
In RWRC Be Inspired’s first column, Walgreens Boots Alliance senior director of diversity and inclusion Fiona Ibáñez-Major reflects on what the racial pandemic has taught the business, steps being taken to drive real change and how others in the industry must follow suit.
Struggling retailer Mothercare has announced a franchise deal with Boots that will see its current range of products extended in the health and beauty retailer’s stores.
Walgreens Boots Alliance chief executive Stefano Pessina is stepping down, six years after leading the group’s mega-merger.
Boots is cutting 4,000 roles across its business in the wake of a dramatic fall in sales during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Boots is relying on digital innovation to launch its latest No. 7 product and reopen its in-store beauty counters next month.
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