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LloydsPharmacy has confirmed that all its stores located in Sainsbury’s stores will cease to exist from today (13 June 2023).
The closures, which were previously agreed, were supposed to be phased out over the year, however, the date has been brought forward and branches are closing sooner than expected.
The decision comes after Lloyds Pharmacy’s parent company McKesson Uk was acquired by Aurelius, a multinational private equity firm last year which then set upon restructuring plans.
In a previous statement, “changing market conditions” were also cited as the reason behind the decision, putting 2,000 jobs at risk across the UK.
Lloyds Pharmacy told Retail Sector it has not announced a major re-structure and neither has it considered any other nationwide branch closures of standalone pharmacies.
It also confirmed that, outside of the Sainsbury’s estate, it “is selectively selling some branches”.
It said: “The majority of buyers of these selected branches are independent pharmacy owners who have demonstrated their commitment to our branch teams and will ensure that, for patients, there will be no change in the way that they use their local pharmacy.”
A spokesperson from LloydsPharmacy added: “In January 2023 LloydsPharmacy announced the withdrawal of pharmacy services from all Sainsbury’s stores, to take place throughout 2023. It can now confirm that any remaining branches within the Sainsbury’s estate will close by 13th June 2023.
“Throughout the process, LloydsPharmacy has been committed to helping patients easily find a suitable alternative provision. It has kept patients informed of when services from their specific pharmacy will end so that they can transfer their nominations as needed.”
