The Co-operative Pharmacy

The Co-operative Pharmacy
Subsidiary undertaking
Industry Retail
Products Dispensing chemist
Parent Bestway Group
Website www.co-operativepharmacy.co.uk

The Co-operative Pharmacy is the third largest dispensing chemist in the United Kingdom (after Boots and Lloyds Pharmacy) and the largest in Wales. Since 2014, it has been a trading name of Bestway National Chemists and Bestway Belfast Chemists, both part of Bestway Panacea Healthcare. It operates through 782 branches with 6,500 staff; a national distribution centre in Stoke-on-Trent manages the supply chain.[1]

The Co-operative Group agreed to divest the business to the Bestway Group for £620 million in July 2014.[1] The sale was completed in October 2014 and Bestway were given a licence to continue using the Co-operative brand for 12 months. Bestway plan to rebrand the company as 'Well' by the end of 2015.[2]

History

The Co-operative Pharmacy at Bramley Shopping Centre in Leeds.

The Co-operative Pharmacy was previously the trading name of National Co-operative Chemists, part of Co-operative Group Healthcare based in Rochdale[3] and Belfast Co-operative Chemists, a wholly owned subsidiary operating in Northern Ireland. Established in 1945, National Co-operative Chemists traded in areas without a regional society pharmacy, although some independent societies also operated their own in-house chemists under The Co-operative Pharmacy brand after it was introduced in 2007.

Members of The Co-operative Group and participating societies previously earned one membership point for every £1.00 spent at The Co-operative Pharmacy. Points were converted into dividend at a rate agreed annually by the Board.[4]

In 2001, The Co-operative Pharmacy pioneered the use of Braille on the packaging of own label medicines and, in 2012, it became the first retail pharmacy chain in the UK to become carbon neutral.[5]

The Co-operative Doctor was an online diagnosis and treatment system.[6] In 2011, The Co-operative Pharmacy teamed up with The-Clinic.com to provide clinical and medical input. The-Clinic.com’s medical services were provided by Freedom Health, which is registered with the Healthcare Commission.[7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ben Marlow (18 July 2014). "Bestway cash and carry empire snaps up Co-op high street pharmacies". The Telegraph.
  2. ↑ Farey-Jones, Daniel (10 February 2015). "Co-operative Pharmacy to become Well in 780-store rebrand". Marketing Magazine. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  3. ↑ An industrial and provident society registered in England and Wales under the Companies Act 1985, No. 12714R
  4. ↑ The Co-operative Membership The Co-operative Group (retrieved 27 August 2013)
  5. ↑ Voinea, Anca (24 August 2014). "Dispensed: The Co-operative Pharmacy’s rich and caring history". Co-operative News. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  6. ↑ About the Clinic The Co-operative Pharmacy (retrieved 25 August 2013)
  7. ↑ "Pharmacy launches online health services". Co-operative News. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

External links