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ST. LOUIS — After Walgreens made its contract dispute with Express Scripts public on Tuesday morning, the pharmacy benefit manager stated it is open to continued negotiations with Walgreens.

CHICAGO — A new report by Mintel may shed new light on the reasons why African-Americans diet.

According to the research, while 70% of African-American adults surveyed said they limit the amount and/or kind of food they eat to boost their general wellness, 52% are eating healthier to prevent or control high blood pressure and 46% said they follow a diet to maintain their current weight.

NEW YORK — Credit Suisse on Wednesday initiated coverage of General Nutrition Centers, the specialty retailer of supplement and nutritional products and partner with Rite Aid in a store-within-a-store program across more than 1,000 drug store locations.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Thursday reported better-than-expected results with an earnings per share of 44 cents, which was 10 cents above analyst consensus of 34 cents.

“A lower-than-expected tax rate and LIFO charge helped by about 4 cents; the company still cleanly beat consensus,” noted Credit Suisse director equity research Ed Kelly. “It’s obvious that the company pulled back on the unsuccessful promotions initiated last quarter.”

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Almost two-thirds of consumers live within 3 miles of a Walgreens. For the rest of America, Walgreens is using its multichannel strategy to get even closer. The deal with Drugstore.com considerably accelerates the chain's plans.

(THE NEWS: Walgreens boosts online presence with Drugstore.com acquisition. For the full story, click here.)

NEW YORK — The flu may drive consumers to bed, but drug store sales are expected to benefit from an increase in flu activity, according to a Credit Suisse research note.

Credit Suisse research analyst Edward Kelly on Monday noted that as Walgreens and Rite Aid would report their monthly sales on March 3, comparable pharmacy sales would be driven by increased flu activity.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — As expected, CVS/pharmacy officially has introduced a new line of store-brand products called Just the Basics, which is comprised of household essentials. As previously reported by Drug Store News, the retailer unveiled plans to launch the new line during its 2010 analyst day in October.

The new product line, exclusively available at CVS/pharmacy, is comprised of nearly 100 items, and there are plans to expand the line going forward.



Following a dismal year 
in 2009, U.S. prestige beauty categories experienced an upswing in 2010 and, judging by the numbers, 2011 looks to be a positive year for prestige beauty.

Consumers may have a bit more to spend for the 2011 back-to-school season, so retailers should tweak their merchandise plans to accommodate.


Perry James, an analyst at the NPD Group, said that over the past few years, dollar trends in school supplies have not kept pace with unit supplies. Consumers also have been waiting until the last minute to shop. “As the economy gets better, retailers should be careful about too many promotions late in the season,” James said.

CHICAGO — While many consumers tend to choose less expensive products when times are tough, lower-income Hispanics that predominantly speak Spanish tend to buy brand-name personal care products at a higher rate than their English-dominant counterparts, according to recent research by Mintel.

New twists on classic candy brands helped propel dollar sales in the chocolate candy segment ahead nearly 10%. An increase in prices contributed to the dollar sales gain, but a big boost came from line extensions and limited-edition flavors.

“The old standbys are comfort brands for consumers, and manufacturers continue to trade off their following with new products,” said Lisbeth Echeandia, VP trade marketing of consulting firm Frey Enterprises.

CHICAGO — It seems that private-label brands are getting a sterling reputation among shoppers.

According to new research by Mintel, consumers have taken notice of private-label companies' "better-for-you" products and attractive packaging, as 44% of grocery shoppers believed store-brand products are of better quality today than they were five years ago. What's more, 39% of respondents said they would recommend purchasing a store-brand product.