Content about Rite Aid

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — As more of Walgreens' store base is transformed into its Wellness Experience format, the less it becomes an underdog in its hardline stance against Express Scripts. Perhaps that was why the former Indianapolis Colts strategist Tony Dungy — the first NFL coach to record a win against all 32 NFL teams — was on hand to announce the new store openings.

NEW YORK — A charity for 9/11 victims and their families and victims of terrorism worldwide got a big check from retail pharmacy chain Rite Aid at an event in New York's Grand Central Terminal Wednesday morning.

Rite Aid presented a $15,000 check to Tuesday's Children at its store in the train station, with Rite Aid regional VP Paul Perinetti and Tuesday's Children executive director Terry Sears in attendance. The money came from a two-day event in October in which the retailer delivered flu shots to commuters at the station.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's same-store sales increased 3.6% in December 2011, compared with December 2010, the company said Thursday.

Front-end same-store sales increased by 0.7%, while pharmacy same-store sales increased by 5.2% and prescription count at comparable stores increased 3.2%. Total store sales increased by 3.3% to $2.6 billion, compared with December 2010's nearly $2.6 billion.

NEW YORK — Retailers will report weak December front-end sales growth across the drug channel as continued inflation likely was offset by the slow start to the flu season and disappointing overall traffic and volume growth, Credit Suisse research analyst Ed Kelly suggested in a note published Tuesday.

"While drug stores have been fairly successful passing through product cost inflation at the shelf, our Nielsen Trend Tracker shows that volumes have decelerated in recent months given the weak consumer and normal price elasticity," he wrote.

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Rite Aid is planning to roll out 3-D holographic display kiosks in its stores next year, according to the kiosks' manufacturer.

In a letter to shareholders, Provision Interactive Technologies president and CEO Curt Thornton wrote that it would place its 3-D Reward Centers in Rite Aid stores, starting with 200 stores and, according to the agreement between the two companies, eventually installing the kiosks in up to 4,800 stores. Rite Aid currently has 4,679 stores.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Calling it a first for the drug store industry, Rite Aid will roll out an online coupon management tool for members of its Wellness+ loyalty card program, the retail pharmacy chain said Tuesday.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is responding to a flu vaccination campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by lowering prices on flu vaccinations, the retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

To mark National Influenza Vaccination Week, the retailer is offering flu shots for $19.99 through Dec. 17.

When someone says “pharmacy automation and technology,” the image that most likely springs to mind is a pharmacy robot dispensing pills in a bottle or pharmacists managing operations or looking at patients’ medical records and electronic prescriptions with the latest pharmacy software.


But technology increasingly is migrating out from behind the counter as pharmacy retailers wield it not just to make the jobs of pharmacists and pharmacy techs easier, but to enhance the experience of the customer as well.


CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's same-store sales increased by 1.9% in November, compared with the year-ago period, the company said Thursday.

The country's third-largest retail pharmacy chain said front-end same-store sales decreased by 0.6%, while pharmacy same-store sales increased by 3.1%. Meanwhile, total drug store sales were $2.4 billion, a 1.4% increase over November 2010's $2.37 billion.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is offering two promotional programs to holiday shoppers, the company said Monday.

The first of these is Cyber Week, launched to mark Cyber Monday, an online shopping holiday that is one of the busiest of the year. The chain is offering limited-time deals on items commonly purchased online, such as beauty and personal care items, personalized photo calendars and vitamins, as well as 20% off when customers spend $50 or more. Customers can sign up at RiteAidOnlineStore.com.