DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. is introducing a suite of financial services called Balance Financial that are integrated with its Balance Rewards customer loyalty card. The program has been designed to provide low-cost financial services to customers, including those without traditional bank accounts. The Balance Financial services are built around a new Balance Financial Prepaid
Not often does change disrupt the orderly nature of things in chain drug retailing to the degree that the recent personnel shifts at Walgreens have altered both the personnel roster at that drug chain and the priorities of the many constituencies with which the retailer interacts. Earlier this month Walgreens confirmed a series of high-level
Recent events illustrate the high stakes involved in getting health care right. At the center of the 16-day federal government shutdown and threat of national default, which were only ended by a last-minute deal reached shortly before the Treasury Department’s authorization to borrow money was set to expire, were demands by House Republicans that the
Many retailers today are immersed in building multichannel capabilities. The multichannel wave has led to many good initiatives, making it easier for customers to interact with retailers across distinct channels, including fast-growing mobile channels. For example, A.T. Kearney’s Future Role of Stores research indicates that although 92% of retail sales still occur via traditional channels,
NEW YORK — NEW YORK — The much-anticipated debut of the enrollment period for health insurance exchanges saw millions of Americans overwhelm the websites set up to let them get coverage. Proponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health reform law say the sheer number of people who turned to the sites on the first
NEW YORK — The kickoff of the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period has kept community pharmacy chains busy. Large retailers such as Walmart, CVS Caremark Corp., Walgreen Co. and Rite Aid Corp. as well as such regional drug chains as Navarro Discount Pharmacy are promoting health care coverage in many of their stores. “We
WASHINGTON — The economy faced a greater threat from hitting the debt ceiling than from a government shutdown, experts said this month. Unless the federal borrowing limit was raised by October 17, the country faced a default on its loans and an ensuing global crisis. The scenario would also mean no cash for Social Security
WASHINGTON — Community pharmacy advocates have thrown their support behind a congressional plan to reform the nation’s pharmaceutical supply chain and impose tighter regulations on pharmacy compounding. The heads of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Community Pharmacists Association and Healthcare Distribution Management Association all wrote letters to Senate and House of Representatives
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Fourth quarter net income surged more than 85% at Walgreen Co. as the company rebounded strongly from a year-ago quarter that was severely impacted by weak sales, costs related to its purchase of a stake in Alliance Boots GmbH and a big LIFO charge. Despite the impressive finish to fiscal 2013, management
CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. aims to have about a quarter of its store base converted to its “wellness store” format by the close of its current fiscal year next March. The drug chain reached a milestone during its fiscal 2014 second quarter by opening its 1,000th wellness store remodel, company executives said
BRAMPTON, Ontario — Mark Butler has been named Loblaw Cos.’ executive vice president of integration with responsibility for planning the supermarketer’s assimilation of Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM). A 37-year Loblaws veteran, Butler was most recently executive vice president of the conventional division. Subject to the completion of Loblaws’ acquisition of SDM following review by Canada’s
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark Corp. has named Nancy-Ann DeParle, a former top aide to President Barack Obama on the health care overhaul, to its board of directors. DeParle, 56, will be an independent director serving on the board’s audit committee. She worked in the Obama administration from 2009 until January of this year, first
SEATTLE — Bartell Drugs is opening one of its largest stores ever in the Puget Sound area. The store, a 16,085-square-foot unit in the city’s Greenwood section, opened for business on October 13 and offers a broader merchandise mix than most other Bartell Drug outlets. A grand opening event is scheduled for October 26. Executives
