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Tag: pharmacy

  • Coles Adopts MTick Menopause Label Across 200 Products in Australia

    Coles Adopts MTick Menopause Label Across 200 Products in Australia

    Coles will introduce MTick menopause certification across more than 200 items in Australian stores and online, partnering with advocacy group GenM to standardise product labelling for midlife women.

    The agreement covers food, skincare, personal care and dietary supplements across an Australian market where GenM estimates 4.5 million women currently navigate perimenopause and menopause.

    Implementation begins with an online educational hub before purple MTick identifiers appear on physical shelves and digital storefronts early next year. The accreditation scheme checks products against 48 recognized symptoms of menopause, including sleep disruption, skin alterations, dry eyes, cognitive fatigue and intimate health needs.

    Shelf Signage and Digital Hubs

    Physical stores will install dedicated point-of-sale badging to help consumers spot qualifying inventory quickly during routine grocery trips. Online, Coles will index qualifying lines into dedicated search filters linked to informational guides detailing common physiological transitions.

    GenM manages the certification process, vetting third-party formulations against ingredient standards and consumer testing guidelines before clearing items to display the purple symbol. Brand owners pay verification fees directly to the standard holder to qualify individual product lines for placement.

    The GenM Standard and UK Precedents

    British grocers and pharmacies created the template that Coles is now transplanting into the southern hemisphere. Retailers including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and health-and-beauty chain Boots already display MTick iconography across an international inventory pool exceeding 4,000 certified stock-keeping units.

    For Australian retail operators, category tagging creates margin opportunities in aisles that historically functioned as low-margin convenience stops. Supermarkets can capture wellness revenue by aggregating high-margin items such as targeted serums, magnesium formulations and sleep supplements into visible health sub-categories.

    Pharmacy Competition and Category Margins

    Pharmacy chains built Australia’s baseline market for dedicated wellness merchandising, leaving grocers to fight for basket share. Community pharmacy group TerryWhite Chemmart previously added MTick shelf tags to recruit shoppers seeking guidance on hormonal health transitions.

    By establishing certified shelf space in high-frequency supermarkets, Coles puts direct commercial pressure on independent pharmacies and banner groups that rely heavily on discretionary personal care sales. Suppliers must now balance slotting allowances and certification audits if they want shelf access in both distribution channels.

    Rollout Schedule and Brand Recruitment

    Health and beauty manufacturers in Australia have spent recent years reformulating private-label and branded ranges to satisfy rising demand for transparent personal care claims. Several local brands secured MTick approval ahead of the supermarket launch to guarantee distribution when shelf changes take effect.

    Coles plans to begin deploying the online resource centre in early 2027, followed by storewide rollouts of shelf tags as certified supplier stock enters its distribution centres.

  • Chemist Warehouse Cuts Delivery to 56 Minutes Across 550 Australian Stores

    Chemist Warehouse Cuts Delivery to 56 Minutes Across 550 Australian Stores

    Chemist Warehouse cut average delivery times for local online pharmacy orders to 56 minutes in July 2026. The chain routed dispatch through 550 physical stores across Australia.

    That turnaround covered roughly 32,000 over-the-counter orders handled under a two-hour service agreement with logistics platform Rendr, an Australia Post subsidiary.

    Operations shifted onto a single dispatch platform after the pharmacy chain previously juggled multiple delivery providers. Dispatch software selects a courier based on the customer’s chosen delivery speed and assigns it directly to store staff. The setup avoids adding dedicated warehouse workers to store payrolls.

    Routing Orders Through 550 Storefronts

    Dispatching directly from shopfronts turns high-street real estate into micro-distribution hubs. More than 15 per cent of Australian retail orders are now fulfilled and delivered within 15 kilometres of the buyer, according to Shippit data. That is an increase of five percentage points over two years.

    Chemist Warehouse uses order density maps from Rendr to identify coverage blind spots across its retail network. Those geographic heat maps feed directly into lease decisions for new retail space and extra fulfillment capacity.

    Physical stores provide an immediate counterweight to pure-play e-commerce rivals that spend heavily on regional depots. Pure-play operators typically run centralized warehouses located far outside metropolitan centers. That adds transit hours to every local parcel.

    Avoiding the Mini-Warehouse Trap

    Fulfillment creates friction if counter staff spend shifts sorting boxes rather than serving walk-in shoppers. Chemist Warehouse avoided dedicated picking shifts by standardizing handoffs into a single digital process.

    Workers hand parcels to assigned couriers through one digital interface instead of managing separate fleet portals. David Brennan, general manager of supply chain transformation at Chemist Warehouse, said the consolidated exit path simplified daily routines.

    “There’s now one exit path for fast delivery. It comes in and says, you’re giving it to this driver, that’s it.”

    The Proximity Race Against Pure Plays

    Speed pits physical shop networks against heavy logistics spending from pure e-commerce players. In North America, Amazon is developing Project Mercury to build more than 1,000 sub-same-day facilities by 2031. It aims to place inventory within 10 miles of 80 per cent of Prime subscribers to counter store-based competitors like Walmart.

    Across Asia-Pacific markets, traditional retailers hold the geographical edge because suburban strips already sit near dense residential corridors. The main risk lies in inventory accuracy. A ship-from-store model fails immediately when an online order claims stock an in-store shopper just put in a physical basket.

    Retailers that fix real-time inventory tracking turn routine floor stock into faster dispatch points than dedicated suburban logistics sheds. Those that fail face cancelled orders and higher labor expenses.

    Consumer Appetite for Paid Speed

    Rapid delivery is driving purchase conversion across Australia, where online retail spending reached 82.6 billion Australian dollars in 2025. Australia Post research shows 73 per cent of shoppers pick online channels over physical visits when delivery is reliable.

    Consumers will also pay for speed when items carry immediate utility. Australia Post found 43 per cent of Australian shoppers are prepared to pay extra for same-day or next-day delivery. That figure climbs to 59 per cent among Gen Z and Millennial buyers.

    Roughly 24 million Australians across major population centers can now access same-day fulfillment. Retailers will test whether that appetite holds up as courier costs rise heading into the peak holiday trading quarter of late 2026.

  • AS Watson Rejects AI Staff Cuts Across 17,000 Global Outlets

    AS Watson Rejects AI Staff Cuts Across 17,000 Global Outlets

    AS Watson Group will not use artificial intelligence to cut its workforce across more than 17,000 stores in 31 markets, group chief executive Malina Ngai said in Macau.

    The Hong Kong-based retailer is the world’s largest health and beauty chain by store count. It is steering automation toward floor assistance and warehouse ergonomics rather than headcount reductions.

    Speaking at the Fortune Leaders Forum, Ngai said the business rolled out a human-AI partnership model last October. The system pairs floor staff with digital assistants to handle routine lookups and operational tasks. That frees employees for direct customer service. Management tracks progress through internal engagement scores and customer feedback rather than labor cost cuts.

    Automation Shifts Warehouse Labor in Foshan

    The technology is already altering logistics on the ground. At a group distribution warehouse in Foshan, 120 kilometers from Hong Kong, heavy-lifting robotics changed site demographics. Women now make up 62 per cent of the facility’s workforce. Across the wider region, men typically hold 80 per cent of manual handling roles.

    Asian retail operators face a split in automation strategies. Western corporations and technology vendors eliminated thousands of administrative roles this year. Store-heavy pharmacy and beauty chains, however, rely on physical interactions to drive basket sizes. Cutting floor staff risks service margins in dense Asian shopping hubs, where personal consultations secure higher-value skincare sales.

    Dual Listing Plans Anchor Network Scale

    Parent conglomerate CK Hutchison is preparing the retail division for public markets. Reports indicate the group is planning a dual listing in Hong Kong and London. The deal could value AS Watson at approximately $30 billion.

    “Is it really that, with AI, we’re going to cut out 30% of our workforce? Or… are we going to increase the quality of our people’s intelligence?”

    Founded as a Hong Kong pharmacy in 1841, the company expanded through European acquisitions and store openings across Asia. Ngai previously led digital and e-commerce integration, building the foundation for the current store-assist tools.

    Landlords and investors are watching whether these productivity gains lift sales per square meter in core Asian markets as the float approaches.

  • Sigma Healthcare Profit Jumps 22 per Cent as Annual Sales Top $10.8 Billion

    Sigma Healthcare Profit Jumps 22 per Cent as Annual Sales Top $10.8 Billion

    Sigma Healthcare posted a 22.3 per cent rise in annual net profit to $732.3 million for the year ended June 30, lifted by pharmacy additions and GLP-1 prescription volumes.

    Group revenue advanced 15.5 per cent to $10.8 billion, while normalised earnings before interest and taxes climbed 20.6 per cent to breach $1 billion.

    The results reflect the first full operating cycle since Sigma combined operations with discount chain Chemist Warehouse. Chief Executive Officer Vikesh Ramsunder told investors the business now oversees nearly 1,000 pharmacies worldwide, supported by supply-chain integration across wholesale and retail divisions.

    Chemist Warehouse Drives Domestic Momentum

    Australia generated the bulk of earnings, lifting revenue 14.9 per cent to $10.4 billion and normalised operating profit by 18.3 per cent. Chemist Warehouse added 24 domestic sites to reach 561 stores, generating network sales growth of 15.9 per cent and same-store sales gains of 13.4 per cent.

    Sales of GLP-1 weight-loss medications contributed heavily to turnover across the network. While the high-cost treatments carry lower percentage returns, Sigma maintained its Australian gross margin at 17.6 per cent by expanding front-of-store retail lines, introducing more than 470 private-label products during the financial year.

    For retail pharmacy chains across the Asia-Pacific region, Sigma’s post-merger run shows how high-volume discount models can protect margins even as prescription product mixes shift toward expensive, low-margin therapies. It also demonstrates how domestic retail density provides cash flow stability after walking away from risky international takeovers, including Sigma’s abandoned $14 billion tilt at Britain’s Boots chain.

    Synergies and Franchise Pipeline

    Sigma captured $32.6 million in operational savings during the year as it works toward an annual cost-reduction target of $100 million by the 2029 financial year.

    Wholesale franchise networks Amcal and Discount Drug Stores are also rebuilding footprint after years of store rationalisation. Management has assembled an opening pipeline of 82 stores, scheduled to return both banner groups to net store count growth during the 2027 financial year.

  • Big Caring Group’s Bold Move: Malaysia’s Biggest Pharmacy Retail Chain Gears Up for High-Stakes IPO

    Big Caring Group’s Bold Move: Malaysia’s Biggest Pharmacy Retail Chain Gears Up for High-Stakes IPO

    Big Caring Group, Malaysia’s premier pharmacy retail chain, is gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO) as part of its strategic plan to strengthen its standing in the country’s burgeoning retail health sector.

    A Promising IPO

    Based in Kuala Lumpur and backed by private equity firm Creador, Big Caring Group aims to sell up to 25.5 per cent of its shares, amounting to approximately 1.88 billion ordinary shares. This information was found in a preliminary prospectus lodged with the Securities Commission Malaysia. Currently, the company has about 1.29 billion shares in existence; the remainder of the IPO will comprise new shares intended to fund future expansion and decrease existing debt.

    Expanding Retail Presence

    With a strong network of 626 stores across the nation, Big Caring Group continues to display its ambitious growth strategy. The company has plans to open an additional 50 stores within the next three to five years.

    Institutional and Retail Investors

    The structure of the IPO is designed to cater to institutional and selected investors; around 1.61 billion shares will be made available for them. Meanwhile, retail investors, which include company employees, contributors, and the general public, will have the opportunity to subscribe to approximately 268 million shares.

    Leading the Offering

    Maybank Investment Bank and RHB Investment Bank will spearhead the IPO as joint principal advisors, global coordinators, bookrunners, managing underwriters, and underwriters. Additionally, AmInvestment Bank and UBS will play essential roles in coordinating and underwriting the tranche for institutional investors.

    The IPO price and timeline have not yet been disclosed. The listing is pending approval from Bursa Malaysia and the Securities Commission.

    Questions & Answers

    What is Big Caring Group planning?
    Big Caring Group, the largest pharmacy retail chain in Malaysia, is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) to strengthen its position in the country’s growing retail health sector.

    How many shares is Big Caring Group considering selling in its IPO?
    The company plans to sell up to 25.5 per cent of its shares, or around 1.88 billion ordinary shares, according to their preliminary prospectus.

    What is the company’s expansion plan?
    Big Caring Group intends to open 50 more stores across the nation within the next three to five years. Currently, they operate 626 stores nationwide.

  • Japanese pharmacy Ain to acquire rival for $690 million

    Japanese pharmacy Ain to acquire rival for $690 million

    Japanese pharmaceutical retailer, Ain, has unveiled plans to acquire its competitor, Kraft, which operates the Sakura pharmacy chain. The proposed transaction is estimated to be worth over 100 billion yen (approximately US$690 million).

    Ain’s intention is to purchase the entirety of Kraft’s shares from investment firm Nippon Sangyo Suishin Kiko. The deal, which includes assuming all the company’s debts, is estimated to cost Ain nearly 60 billion yen. If all goes to plan, the transaction is expected to be finalized in August.

    In the business year ending April 2024, Ain’s dispensing pharmacy business reported strong sales figures of 357.5 billion yen. On the other hand, Kraft’s sales for the business year ending March 2024 were reported at 153.7 billion yen.

    By acquiring Kraft, Ain aims to cement its leading position over its competitor Nihon Chouzai. The latter posted impressive sales of 321.9 billion yen in the last fiscal year.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the estimated value of the acquisition deal between Ain and Kraft?
    The proposed acquisition deal is estimated to be worth over 100 billion yen (approximately US$690 million).

    What is the expected completion date for the transaction?
    The acquisition transaction is expected to be finalized in August.

    What were the sales figures for Ain and Kraft in the last business year?
    Ain’s dispensing pharmacy business reported sales figures of 357.5 billion yen in the business year ending April 2024, while Kraft posted sales of 153.7 billion yen for the same period.

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  • South Korea’s SK Group may sell some Southeast Asia assets

    South Korea’s SK Group may sell some Southeast Asia assets

    South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate SK Group said on Monday it is considering selling some of its assets in Southeast Asia and reinvesting in other businesses in countries in the region, including Vietnam.

    An SK Group spokesperson said in a statement that the conglomerate plans to decide which assets to sell depending on buyers’ offers, and is considering reinvesting some of the proceeds from any stake sales in local firms.

    The statement didn’t disclose details of which assets might be sold.

    The comments came after South Korean newspaper the Korea Economic Daily reported SK’s plans late on Sunday citing unnamed investment banking sources.

    Assets held by SK Group’s Southeast Asia investment firm that could be sold, according to the paper, include stakes in Vietnam’s Vingroup, Masan Group, retail pharmacy chain Pharmacity, retailer VinCommerce and consumer retail platform The Crown X.

    The paper said it also has a stake in Malaysian fintech company Big Pay.

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  • Carlyle eyes investing in Malaysia’s Caring Pharmacy

    Carlyle eyes investing in Malaysia’s Caring Pharmacy

    Multinational private equity investor Carlyle Group is reportedly in talks with Caring Pharmacy to acquire a majority stake in the Malaysian drugstore chain.

    According to DealStreetAsia, the deal is projected to reach more than US$300 million in size.

    Earlier this year, Caring Pharmacy’s majority owner, 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings was said to be in talks with several potential Japanese investors about a potential divestment of Caring Pharmacy. The chain was previously estimated to be worth around US$400 million.

    Established in 1994 by five pharmacists who were course-mates in the School of Pharmacy at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Caring offers pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and personal care products. As of 2019, the company had more than 120 stores nationwide.

    7-Eleven Malaysia recently forayed into the Indonesian pharmacy business through a joint venture between Caring Pharmacy and PI Era Prima Indonesia.

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  • Long Chau Pharmacy sees revenues triple in H1

    Long Chau Pharmacy sees revenues triple in H1

    Long Chau Pharmacy tripled its revenues year-on-year in the first half-year to VND4 trillion ($171.38 million) and opened hundreds of new stores.

    It increased its contribution to FPT Retail’s revenues from 15 percent to nearly 30 percent in the period.

    At the end of June, Long Chau had 678 pharmacies, 278 more than at the beginning of the year.

    FPT Retail, a subsidiary of tech giant FPT, expects the pharmacy chain to make a profit of VND50-100 billion this year.

    Another major contributor to FPT Retail’s revenues is electronics retailer FPTShop, which saw revenues rise by 31 percent to VND10 trillion.

  • Priceline Pharmacy launches health insurance

    Priceline Pharmacy launches health insurance

    Priceline Pharmacy has launched a unique health insurance brand and products in partnership with health fund nib.

    The launch of the health insurance products sees Priceline Pharmacy become the first pharmacy retailer to offer this to its customers.

    The cover includes all the stuff people would typically expect with private health insurance but the real benefits are the Priceline perks thrown in for good measure.

    “Priceline has operated as a health and beauty destination for over 40 years. We are constantly looking to provide products and services that our customers want and Priceline Health Insurance now provides an extension of our brand’s trusted pharmacy offer,” General Manager, Priceline Pharmacy, Andrew Vidler said.

    “There is no other health insurance product like this: from $5 vouchers, which accrue with every $50 purchase (and I can tell you they add up quickly!) to offering annual flu vaccinations through more than 370 Priceline Pharmacies around Australia.

    “It’s important to us that our Franchisees who operate these local pharmacies in their communities will also see these new health insurance customers in their stores and create even more loyal Sister Club members for our brand,” he said. 

    Priceline says the pharmacy brand is leveraging the power of its Sister Club program. Specifically, Priceline health insurance members will receive Sister Club bonus points for every $1 spent on the premium and a $5 voucher for every $50 spent in Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy stores.

    Additionally, Priceline says that health insurance members will also be bumped up to automatic ‘Pink Diamond’ status, which is the highest status a Sister Club member can attain. This comes with numerous benefits including more $5 vouchers and gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

    Additionally, every health insurance customer will reportedly receive an annual flu vaccine at Priceline Pharmacy.

    nib’s Chief Executive Australian residents’ health insurance, Ed Close said the launch of Priceline health insurance presented a unique and exciting opportunity, particularly for the more than seven million Sister Club members.

    “As one of Australia’s largest loyalty programs, Sister Club members will benefit from a bespoke range of best-in-class health insurance products, but with the bonus of Sister Club points on joining and when they pay their premium, making sure they get ongoing value from simply being a Priceline health member,” Mr Close said.

    “In addition, we will be able to use Priceline’s national pharmacy network and digital assets to provide an enhanced service offering as well as ongoing customer benefits.”

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  • 7-Eleven Malaysia ventures into Indonesia’s pharmacy market

    7-Eleven Malaysia ventures into Indonesia’s pharmacy market

    7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd has teamed up with a listed company on the Jakarta Stock Exchange to set up a retail pharmacy chain in Indonesia.

    SEM, in a filing today, said its 75% owned Caring Pharmacy Retail Management Sdn Bhd has entered into a joint venture with PT Era Prima Indonesia (EPI) to establish the business.

    Caring would take a 50.1% stake in the JV.

    SEM said the total funding of the proposed JV was about RM8.55mil. “The proposals represent an opportunity for the SEM Group to venture into the pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia,” it said.

    EPI is a subsidiary of listed firm PT Erajaya Swasembada Tbk, a distributor and retailer of mobile communication products.

  • E-pharmacy startup Medigo raises $1 million

    E-pharmacy startup Medigo raises $1 million

    E-pharmacy startup Medigo has received a $1 million investment from venture capital firm Touchstone Partners.

    The med-tech company, which helps users order medicine from pharmacies in the comfort of their homes, plans to expand its offerings to telemedicine and other healthcare services amid growing healthcare spending in Vietnam.

    Medigo, launched in July 2019, has partnered with over 200 medical institutions in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang.

    In the past six months, it saw gross merchandise value increase eight times. Medigo currently has over 200,000 users on its platform.

    Touchstone Partners is an early-stage Vietnamese venture capital firm that launched its inaugural $50 million fund earlier this year.

    Speaking of the investment, co-founder of the firm Ngo Thuy Ngoc Tu said that amid the pandemic, Medigo has offered sustainable solutions to help Vietnamese access healthcare services at reasonable costs.

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  • Amazon launches Pharmacy subscription offer in US

    Amazon launches Pharmacy subscription offer in US

    Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it was now offering six-month prescriptions starting at $6 for medications of common health issues through its pharmacy.

    The company said prime members would get additional savings when paying without insurance. Customers can pay as low as $1 per month for select medications, including drugs to treat diabetes and blood pressure, and will get free two-day delivery.

    The e-commerce giant launched an online pharmacy in November for delivering prescription medications in the United States and stirring up competition with drug retailers such as Walgreens Boots Alliance, CVS Health and Walmart.

    Shares of pharmacy chains and drug wholesalers fell in morning trading as Amazon’s launch of online pharmacies has been a threat to brick-and-mortar pharmacies at a time when e-commerce has surged due to Covid-19 restrictions.

    Shares of Walgreens and CVS were down 1.2% each, and those of drug distributors AmerisourceBergen Corp and McKesson Corp fell 1% and 1.7%, respectively.

    Amazon is also looking at launching physical pharmacies in the United States, the Insider reported last month.

    Under the new offering, customers can search for their medication by name and find out if it’s eligible for a six-month supply and what the price it will be when using the Prime prescription savings benefit, the company said.

    It added that the supplies would be available only for customers who have a prescription from their healthcare providers.

    Amazon has been trying to enter the pharmacy market since its 2018 acquisition of PillPack, which is a platform used by customers who need pre-sorted doses of multiple drugs.

    Rival Walgreens offers free same-day and next-day delivery options for drugs.

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  • Online concierge pharmacy platform POC raises $4.5 mln to improve services in Vietnam

    Online concierge pharmacy platform POC raises $4.5 mln to improve services in Vietnam

    Pharmacy Online Concierge Pharma has secured $4.5 million in an equity financing round to digitize pharmacies in Vietnam.

    Based in Vietnam and Hong Kong, the platform helps stakeholders such as pharmacies, drug manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and consumers to digitally manage their interactions.

    It raised the money from Picus Capital of Germany, Goat Capital and FJ Labs that of the U.S., Febe Ventures 500 Startups Vietnam of Singapore, and several unnamed angel investors. It is one of the biggest rounds at this stage in Vietnam.

    POC Pharma said it would use the money to improve its services in Vietnam, focusing on selling pharmaceutical products online first and then aiming to launch in more countries.

    Its services include trade programs and trade offers management, content and information sharing, data integration and visualization, customized customer engagement, multichannel commercialization, and order management. Established in 2020 by Thomas Miklavec and Charles Defrance, POC helps pharmacists manage all their processes, increasing revenues and profits while improving their quality of service.

    The startup said it has five global pharmaceutical company customers, including Bayer and Pfizer, and more than 20,000 pharmacies in 22 different markets use its platform.

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  • Amazon looking at $100 million investment in India’s Apollo Pharmacy

    Amazon looking at $100 million investment in India’s Apollo Pharmacy

    Amazon.com Inc is considering a nearly $100 million investment in India’s pharmacy chain Apollo Pharmacy, facing up to Reliance Industries Ltd and Tata Group in the country’s fast-growing drug market, the Economic Times reported on Wednesday, citing two people aware of the plans.

    Amazon already delivers medicines in India and the potential investment would come amid rising competition from Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, which bought a majority stake in online pharmacy Netmeds.

    Tata Group here, meanwhile, was reportedly in talks to pick up a majority stake in e-pharmacy firm 1mg.

    Both Amazon and Apollo Hospitals, which owns Apollo Pharmacy, declined to comment.

    The growth of e-pharmacies, however, has left many Indian trader groups feeling threatened, who say online drugstores can contribute to medicine sales without proper verification and the entry of large players can cause unemployment in the sector.

    Amazon’s plan to further expand in India also comes close on the heels of its launch of an online pharmacy to deliver prescription drugs in the United States, increasing competition with drug retailers such as Walgreens, CVS Health and Walmart.