Boots, the UK pharmacy and beauty retailer with 1,800 stores, has been sold to Wittington Investments, the holding company of the Weston family, a wealthy Canadian family that owns Selfridges and controls Primark's parent company. The deal was valued at £7 billion.
The new owners plan to upgrade Boots' store portfolio, though specific plans have not been disclosed. Sofie Willmott, analyst at GlobalData Retail, says investment is needed across the chain. "Some of the smaller stores have really lacked investment over time," Willmott says. She also notes a "disconnect" in store consistency. Jackie Naghten, a retail veteran, suggested stores need to be made "more functional" by repositioning health hubs. One regular shopper, Yasmin Trimble, 22, appreciated the current navigation and "cleaner aesthetic."
Boots' Advantage loyalty card, launched in 1997, is unlikely to change. The card offers three points per pound spent, with each point worth 1p. Natalie Berg, founder of NBK Retail, said the card gives Boots "a unique understanding of their customers" and is an asset the new owners "will want to double down on." Some shoppers have requested improvements. Lewis Harrison, 25, said he wished points could be used toward partial transactions, like at Holland and Barrett.
The Weston family has signaled plans to expand Boots' healthcare services. The retailer, which started as an apothecary, already offers pharmacies, prescriptions, vaccinations and weight loss drug services. Naghten noted the timing aligns with pharmacies taking on more prescribing duties to ease pressure on GP surgeries and hospitals. "They didn't buy this thing for no reason," Naghten said. "They have got the blueprint." Boots also manufactures No7 make-up and skincare products, which Naghten suggested will benefit from increased foot traffic driven by health services.
Boots faces competition from Superdrug, online retailers and influencer-driven shopping. M&S announced this week it will replace a hundred beauty departments with Sephora locations. Younger shoppers particularly favor online purchasing and competitor convenience.