Content about Exclusive News Alert

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Walk through Duane Reade’s new flagship store at 40 Wall St., and it is clear to see why this 22,000-sq.-ft. location is important.

(THE NEWS: Duane Reade's new flagship is glimpse of drug store of the future. For the full story, click here.) 

NEW YORK — In an exclusive video store tour, Walgreens' president of daily living products and solutions Joe Magnacca walked Drug Store News editor Rob Eder and the DSN.TV cameras through the new Duane Reade flagship store at 40 Wall St.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Does Family Dollar's expansion of health and beauty items, which contributed to its overall inventory growth during the third quarter, and Ulta's plan to create men's grooming boutiques within most of its nearly 400 stores mean a new competitive threat for drug stores?

(THE NEWS: Inventories swell as Family Dollar boosts beauty. For the full story, click here.)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Gas prices are one of the American economy’s biggest Achilles’ heels, thanks to the high percentage of Americans who depend on automobiles for travel. Thus, retailers have good reason to feel uneasy when gas prices start to rise, and it makes sense that those operating gas stations would offer discounts on fuel as a way to entice customers to their stores.

BOSTON — There’s a tremendous upside for retailers and suppliers, but that upside will come from doing things differently than in years past, as well as grappling with fragmentation. Those were a few of the key messages Bryan Gildenberg, chief knowledge officer of Kantar Retail, had for attendees of Monday morning’s business session at NACDS Marketplace in Boston.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The law targeting data mining in Vermont, along with laws in New Hampshire and Maine, would have forced drug companies to significantly change the way they market drugs to physicians had the Supreme Court allowed them to stand in the case of Sorrell, Attorney General of Vermont, et al. vs. IMS Health Inc., et al.

(THE NEWS: Supreme Court strikes down Rx data mining law. For the full story, click here.)

BOSTON — More and more success at retail is contingent upon delivering what the consumer wants, when she wants it, where she wants it and at the price she wants it.

According to a panel of consumer manufacturers and retail executives from Navarro Discount Pharmacies and Rite Aid, she wants fresh, health and wellness all neatly packaged with a value-priced bow. And she wants it in the drug channel.

BOSTON — Hyland's will be bringing its Hyland's Teething Tablets back to the market after a one-year hiatus. The product is coming back with a few changes, one of which is a child-resistant cap.

As part of the relaunch, the company is tapping into its enthusiastic mommy blogger fan base on Facebook. For exmple, last week Hyland's put out a call to its Facebook fans for help on developing its advertising message when it comes back to market.

BOSTON — Drug Store News editor-in-chief Rob Eder interviewed Lansinoh Labs VP sales Michelle McLaughlin here at NACDS Marketplace about the company’s leading position in the natural feeding category, and an exciting new line of products from Europe, which Lansinoh acquired this year and currently is launching to U.S. retailers.

BOSTON — Fresh is one of the biggest buzzwords in drug store retailing today. But getting into the business can be particularly challenging for small-box retailers like drug stores.

Enter McLane, an industry-leading supply chain services company that has taken away the guesswork for drug store retailers, complete with customized coolers and a full array of fresh product offerings, including sandwiches, salads, fruit juices, fresh-cut fruit and yogurt.

BOSTON — Nelson marks the second branded player that should be making a significant commitment against iron supplementation in the coming year — the other being Meda Pharmaceuticals.

Nelson, however, is approaching the market with a "less is more" mantra. In other words, it's a lower dose iron solution with a higher aborption rate.

And because of the lower iron dose, it'll be a lot less likely to cause constipation and will be gentler on the stomach too.

BOSTON — Pharmavite is talking up its Nature Made 300-mg Krill Oil supplement, which delivers a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants from naturally occurring Astaxanthin — a carotenoid that is found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish and crustaceans. Astaxanthin provides the red color of salmon meat and cooked shellfish.