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PLEASANTON, Calif. — The Vons division of Safeway on Wednesday announced a new program with Chevron to offer a joint Reward Points loyalty program. Customers who earn gas rewards by shopping with their VonsClub Card at Vons stores and their ValuePlus Card at Pavilions stores will now be able to use their Rewards for up to 20 cents off per gallon when filling up at participating Chevron and Texaco branded locations in southern and central California. 

ATLANTA – Coca-Cola and Sanofi are partnering to launch a line of "beauty drinks" in France under the Oenobiol Beautific brand. The drinks claim to "help strengthen hair and nails, embellish skin, lose weight and improve vitality."

The beauty drinks will be sold in a "small scale pilot" to a limited number of pharmacies in the country, according to a statement from the Coca-Cola business unit in France. Coca-Cola declined to provide further details.

SAGAPONACK, N.Y. — Beauty pioneer George Friedman, a former advertising executive who helped shape the beauty industry and developed and marketed designer fragrances, died Sunday at his home in Sagaponack, N.Y. He was 77 years old.

According to reports, the cause of death was a heart attack.

 SAN DIEGO — Nearly two-thirds of pharmacy students are interested in owning a community pharmacy after graduation, according to a recent survey conducted on behalf of the National Community Pharmacists Association. 

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — A group pushing to increase the number of people vaccinated against influenza has a deal with a Midwestern retailer to encourage vaccination in the region.

On the horizon of diabetes offerings at retail is telemedicine — a concept that may come sooner than later thanks to the rapid adoption of smartphones by consumers. In March 2012, researchers from the Stanford Prevention Research Center reported that smartphone applications can raise awareness and motivate older adults to improve their health. After eight weeks, 80% of participants reported increased awareness regarding a targeted health behavior (increased walking, decreased sitting time, improved diet), and three-quarters said the apps helped track the behavior.

LIVONIA, Mich. — Rite Aid has signed a deal with a media and marketing firm that the two said would allow the retail pharmacy chain to create a consistent look for its in-store marketing and media programs.

Valassis announced that it had signed a multiyear partnership with Rite Aid to develop and execute in-store marketing and media programs, which they said would create a "shopping environment that directly meets consumers' needs."

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews has partnered with Unilever’s Degree Women deodorant to celebrate "Unapologetically Strong" women who aren’t afraid to test their limits and push boundaries.

Andrews will share her Unapologetically Strong story on Facebook and encourage others to accomplish their own personal triumphs.

People go to doctor offices for a variety of reasons — for annual physicals, for checkups after previous appointments, to figure out why something is acting up or if they just feel sick. Whatever the reasons, most of them walk out of the office with a prescription in hand, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August.

The interest in healthcare reform has reached a new high, especially in light of the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, yet there's no denying that consumers are still unclear as to the impact on their personal healthcare and insurance issues. That being said, Americans see a need for change as they battle rising costs and a lack of access to care, and many are saying "aye" to healthcare reform, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic.

Costs are the biggest concern for opponents of healthcare reform. They’ve done the math — additional healthcare consumers means care that’s both more expensive and harder to come by. As many as 3-in-4 consumers who are not big fans of healthcare reform share that concern — 30% of those consumers suggested it’s their greatest concern, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. A reduction in care quality was concern No.