It remains to be seen whether the merger between Alliance Boots and US giant Walgreens will result in hamburgers, milkshakes and apple pies hitting much-loved UK Boots store shelves alongside its No7 Protect and Perfect serum.

But those worried that the American drugstore group might swallow up Boots’ UK heritage like a pill might have fretted when Alliance Boots chief executive of health and beauty Alex Gourlay said that he has already asked staff to tell customers to “have a nice day” once they have finished serving them…he was joking.