Content about retail

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens is making a high-impact health statement to mark World AIDS Day that will be hard to ignore.

WASHINGTON — This Black Friday weekend proved to be a help to retailers, as shopper traffic and spending both increased, the National Retail Federation said.

While 212 million shoppers visited stores and websites this weekend, up from 195 million shoppers last year, the average shopper spend totaled $365.34 this weekend, a 6.4% increase from last year. Total spending reached an estimated $45 billion, NRF said.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Medicine Shoppe is about to get a new top manager. And with the promotion of company veteran John Fiacco to VP of its Medicine Shoppe and Medicap stores, parent company Cardinal Health effectively is changing the culture at its franchise pharmacy division.

(THE NEWS: Cardinal taps Fiacco to succeed Burnside as top exec for Medicine Shoppe, Medicap. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Most of the newly elected and re-elected Republican members of Congress, Tea Party candidates in particular, vowed to whittle down or repeal healthcare reform once in office, but the healthcare companies that stand to benefit hope to change their minds, as some of their lobbying activities last quarter have shown.

(THE NEWS: Report: PhRMA's lobbying efforts total more than $5 million in Q3. For the full story, click here)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Bringing its health and prescription services as close to college students in its home state as possible, Walmart revealed plans to open a retail pharmacy in a new, scaled-down Walmart store on the campus of the University of Arkansas. The pharmacy, which will open in January, will replace an in-house pharmacy operated since 1984 by the university’s Pat Walker Health Center.

NEW YORK Toys continue to dominate wish lists this holiday season, according to a new poll by Harris Interactive.

Of 3,084 U.S. adults surveyed online between Oct. 11 and 18, 53% of respondents said that they plan to purchase toys as gifts this year. What's more, nearly 3-out-of-4 consumers in a household with children (73%) said they will purchase toys as gifts this year.

Topping the toys list this year includes books (43%), video games (32%) and board games (32%). Top gift picks also include:

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The fact that CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic was highlighted as an innovator of healthcare delivery by the World Economic Forum's Innovation Health Care Delivery Project is important on several fronts. Not only does the recognition further illustrate the important role that convenient care clinics are playing in U.S. health care, but perhaps even more importantly, this forum also was a global stage for the clinic operator.

WASHINGTON — A coalition of six associations, including the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, on Thursday called on Congress to repeal the requirement that prevents consumers from using their flexible spending accounts to purchase over-the-counter medicines without a prescription as of Jan. 1.

COLUMBUS, Ohio Huntington on Thursday announced the opening of the first of its Giant Eagle in-store branches, part of an exclusive, 15-year agreement announced in September to install seven-day-a-week, full-service branches in at least 103 Giant Eagle supermarkets.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. With the holiday season just around the corner, CVS/pharmacy is encouraging older adults and their caregivers to make family health part of the conversation during family gatherings.

With annual enrollment for Medicare Part D under way through Dec. 31, now is the ideal time for seniors and their caregivers to review their medication regimen and identify ways to save on annual medication costs, the company stated.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. Dollar Tree on Wednesday announced that it has completed its purchase of the assets of 86 Dollar Giant stores for approximately $52 million in cash, plus the assumption of certain liabilities.

This marks Dollar Tree's first expansion of retail operations outside of the United States.

Now that more drug stores have moved into the grocery business, consumers are gaining more convenient access to food.

As a result, drug stores, which have always been synonymous with health and wellness, also have a tremendous opportunity to meet the nutrition needs of time-starved shoppers by stocking their shelves with healthier foods.

Food manufacturers, like Kellogg, see an opportunity for retail pharmacies to help reinvent the way groceries are merchandised to shoppers and help consumers make better decisions when buying food.