Chain Drug Review back issues from November 2006:
When Rx becomes a loss leader.(Business)(generic drugs)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- The fallout from Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s generics discounting program has continued with offers of free or cut-rate prescriptions at a number of other chains. Meijer Inc. and Giant Eagle Inc. launched antibiotic giveaways, while H.E. Butt Grocery Co. rolled out $5 ...
Medicare drug benefit in spotlight.(News)(CVS Corp.)
Nov 06, 2006 ... WASHINGTON -- CVS Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer Tom Ryan says that more than 20,000 of the chain's pharmacists have helped millions of Medicare Part beneficiaries obtain proper medications at an affordable price. Ryan made the remarks at a roundtable discussion on ...
Generics plan grows at Wal-Mart.(News)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
Nov 06, 2006 ... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has extended its $4 generic prescription program ahead of schedule to 27 states. The move broadens the initiative, which was launched in 235 Florida pharmacies on October 6, to 2,272 additional stores in states covering much of the ...
Pharmaceutical market adapting to change.(News)(Industry overview)
Nov 06, 2006 ... FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The global pharmaceuticals market should grow between 5% and 6% next year, paced in part by changing dynamics in the biotechnology, generics and oncology sectors, according to IMS Health Inc. It forecasts global sales in 2007 of between $665 billion and $685 billion. ...
Clinics at Duane Reade will offer medical tests.(News)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Duane Reade Inc. is taking the in-store health services phenomenon in a slightly different direction, offering its customers medical testing in a handful of its outlets. Under an agreement with Burlington, N.C.-based Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (LabCorp), ...
2006 Sales Scoreboard.(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... <Pre> 2006 SALES SCOREBOARD Oct. '06 vol.: $14.86 bil. Gain vs. Oct. '05: 7.3% Same-store increase: 5.0% ...
Medicare shift on enrollment raises concern.(News)
Nov 06, 2006 ... WASHINGTON -- Nearly 632,000 elderly and disabled people will not be automatically enrolled in a Medicare drug plan in 2007, federal officials say. Although they are still eligible to participate in the prescription drug benefit, they will have to seek a plan on their own and ...
In-store clinics gain momentum.(News)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Community pharmacy chains continue to add health clinics to their stores. Among the latest retailers to add clinics is St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets Inc., which last month opened four walk-in health care centers in conjunction with local clinic operator instaClimc ....
FTC wants more data on Rite Aid purchase.(News)(Federal Trade Commission)(Jean Coutu Group)
Nov 06, 2006 ... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Federal regulators have asked Rite Aid Corp. and the Jean Coutu Group for additional information about the pending acquisition of Coutu's holdings in the United States. The request from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) came on the final day of the ...
Longs names VP.(News)(Longs Drug Stores Corp.)(Brian McAndrews )(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. --Longs Drug Stores has named Brian McAndrews vice president of real estate. McAndrews, who succeeds Timothy Hansen in the post, joins Longs after a six-year stint as director of real estate for CVS Corp. ...
PrairieStone to sell some assets.(News)(PrairieStone Pharmacy)(Spartan Stores Inc.)
Nov 06, 2006 ... GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Spartan Stores Inc. has entered into an agreement with PrairieStone Pharmacy to purchase certain of the latter's operating assets, including inventory and prescription files of the pharmacies now operated at a dozen of Spartan's recently acquired D&W Fresh Market ...
Merz taking Mederma to next level.(Supplier News)(Merz Pharmaceuticals)
Nov 06, 2006 ... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- After its success in the area of scar treatment with Mederma, the top-selling scar product in the nation, Merz Pharmaceuticals LLC is poised to upgrade the line. In January Merz will introduce Mederma New & Improved, a lightly scented formula with an ...
Chattem grows.(Supplier News)(brands acquired by Chattem Inc. from Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer Inc.)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Chattem Inc. is buying several over-the-counter brands from Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Pfizer Inc. for $410 million. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. In June J&J agreed to purchase Pfizer's consumer unit for ...
The fallacy is that Rx is like any other business.(Meijer offers antibiotics free of charge)
Nov 06, 2006; ... In its own way, this is madness. In the mistaken belief that it is serving its customers, Meijer, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based food and general merchandise retailer, has decided to provide a range of antibiotics free of charge, a move matched on a smaller scale by Giant Eagle. ...
It's no time for drug chains to be complacent.(My Turn)
Nov 06, 2006; ... Efforts to transform the prescription drug pricing model are developing critical mass. Wal-Mart, which jump-started the process In late September by offering a 30-day supply of some 300 generic medications for $4 apiece in the Tampa market, has since Introduced the program ...
A&P falls into red but narrows operating loss.(Business)(Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Inc.)
Nov 06, 2006 ... MONTVALE, N.J. -- With its prior-year net buoyed by a huge gain from the sale of its Canadian operations, A&P swung to a bottom-line loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2006. However, adjusted results for the company's ongoing United States operations were markedly improved, ...
Safeway net up 41.6% on a 5.3% sales gain.(Business)
Nov 06, 2006 ... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- With prior-year results burdened by a pair of charges, Safeway Inc. rang up a 41.6% bottom-line increase on a 5.3% sales gain during the 12 weeks ended September 9. The results were on target with Wall Street's consensus forecast. The food and drug retailer ...
Sales trends indicate that men take grooming very seriously.(MEN'S GROOMING)
Nov 06, 2006; ... NEW YORK -- Men's grooming continues to be one of the best-performing categories in chain drug retailing. A highly competitive shaving market, in which suppliers are continually trying to one-up the competition with new designs and technology, and the ongoing surge in ...
Shaving gets more sophisticated.(MEN'S GROOMING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- The technology of men's shaving systems continues to evolve as suppliers put an increasing emphasis on the multiple blades and added features of their razors. With the number of blades on a single razor hitting five last year with Gillette Co.'s Fusion and Fusion ...
P&G execs confident about Gillette's value.(MEN'S GROOMING)(Proctor & Gamble Co.)
Nov 06, 2006 ... CINCINNATI -- Proctor & Gamble Co.'s (P&G's) acquisition of Gillette Co. last year made it a major player in the men's grooming sector and is expected to provide dividends for the company for years to come, P&G's top executive officer said last month. "The merger is without ...
Era of the 'metrosexual' waning.(MEN'S GROOMING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Touted as one of the biggest changes ever in the way men take care of themselves, the "metrosexual" trend that emerged in the early part of the decade seems to be fizzling out as quickly as it began. The reason, observers say, is that a large number of men are turned ...
Proper head care has many facets.(MEN'S GROOMING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- The shaved head look that has become popular with a lot of men requires more than just a cleanly shorn pate, skin care experts say. "During the last few years more men are shaving their head as part of their skin care practice to look more fashionable, save ...
Women impact shaving market.(MEN'S GROOMING)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Men's shaving systems apparently are not just for men anymore. With increasing frequency, women are finding that men's razors meet their shaving needs better than most of the products designed specifically for women. Women say they like the advanced ...
More men discover that skin care isn't just for women.(MEN'S GROOMING)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- For years, when the term skin care was mentioned, one's thoughts almost always turned to women. Cleaners, moisturizers and antiaging creams have traditionally been targeted almost exclusively at a female consumer base. In recent years, however, that has ...
A departure for Del Labs.(MEN'S GROOMING)(Del Laboratories Inc.)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Del Laboratories Inc., which has made a name for itself in the women's side of the beauty and personal care market, is making its first foray into men's grooming with the introduction of Hansen for Men. "Men's involvement in personal care items extends far beyond ...
New dimensions in oral care create new opportunities.(ORAL CARE)
Nov 06, 2006; ... NEW YORK -- Until recently the oral care category basically consisted of scrubbing one's teeth clean. Today oral care encompasses everything from beauty and convenience to health and social acceptability. Feel like an outcast? Can't get a date? Can't find a job? Maybe it is ...
Pain relief comes in many forms.(ORAL CARE)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Mouth pain is a problem for a sizable percentage of the population, and when it strikes consumers want immediate relief. From toothaches to canker sores, mouth pain affects more people than ever. As the average age of the United States population increases, the use ...
Manual toothbrushes still have strong appeal with consumers.
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- After a flood of excitement caused by the advent of power toothbrushes a few years ago, manual toothbrushes are back in favor. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), sales of manual toothbrushes rose a respectable 4.8% in drug stores for the year ending ...
Dentifrices cover all the bases.(MERCHANDISING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- In the 19th century vendors of the first "toothpaste" offered consumers tooth powder containing chalk, brick and porcelain dust to scour their teeth. The category has probably progressed further in the past decade than it did in the preceding 200 years. ...
Dry mouth a growing problem.(xerostomia)(Laclede's Biotene line of Oral hygiene products)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- While the clinical term "xerostomia" may be foreign to many, what it means is familiar to all: the unpleasant feeling of dry mouth. "With the proliferation of over-the-counter and prescription medication use, we are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of people ...
Making oral care easy for people on the move.(MERCHANDISING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- No one wants to have bad breath, whether at home, at work or on the move, and suppliers in the category have come up with a variety of oral care products to fit the needs of today's busy consumers. The hottest segment is portable oral care, and Information Resources ...
PL on the rise.(private label items)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- There may be no category with better potential for growth in the private label area than oral care. While private label items now have a market share of less than 1% in the toothpaste segment, they have shown strong growth in other oral care sectors. For ...
Toothache powder joins Orajel line.(Del Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Del Pharmaceuticals Inc. has launched Orajel Maximum Strength Toothache Powder, the first analgesic powder that is positioned for toothache relief. The citrus-flavor powder dissolves quickly on the tongue or in water or juice, and is metabolized quickly for fast relief that ...
The Natural Dentist is rolling out fluoride rinse.(What's New)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... The Natural Dentist has launched Healthy Teeth Natural Fluoride Rinse, created specially for children and adults undergoing orthodontic treatment. It is billed as the only natural rinse designed to cleanse hard-to-reach places, strengthen tooth enamel and soothe sore gums without the use ...
Crest and Avis aid air travelers.(What's New)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... In the wake of the banning of most toiletries by airlines due to new security restrictions, Procter & Gamble Co.'s (P&G's) Crest has partnered with Avis Rent A Car LLC to brighten passengers' day a bit. P&G is offering 25,000 Crest Smile Packs, each worth more than $10, exclusively at Avis ...
Dr. Fresh wants kids to "swoosh" away cavities.(Dr fresh Inc. launches fire fly mouthswoosh anti-cavity fluoride rinse)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Dr Fresh Inc. recently launched the Fire Fly MouthSwoosh Anti-Cavity Fluoride Rinse. Designed to encourage good oral hygiene from an early age, MouthSwoosh is recommended for children six years of age and up and should be used once daily after brushing with a fluoride ...
Suppliers give parents means to meet needs of children.(MERCHANDISING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- With dental decay the most common chronic disease of children, parents are constantly trying to instill good oral care habits in their offspring. Everything from improper brushing to childhood obesity are factors in the increase in tooth decay among young people in ...
Licensed characters a powerful drawing card.(MERCHANDISING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Popular culture and celebrity are playing bigger roles in society than ever before, and this trend is evident in children's oral care, where having the latest, hottest license is of prime importance. When children stroll down the oral care aisle of a chain drug store ...
Store brands a key driver of chain drug sales gains.(PRIVATE LABEL)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK--Private label products set records for both sales and market share in drug chains last year, and retailers continue to look to such items to boost profits and "brand" their stores. Store brands have been "a star performer" in the chain drug trade class, outpacing even ...
Retailers up ante with exclusive lines.(PRIVATE LABEL)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK--Chain drug retailers are redefining private label with the steady rollout of exclusive brands. These lines, in categories from skin care to gourmet cookies, are establishing drug chains as sources of distinctive high-end merchandise rivaling that found in specialty and ...
Absorbency products a mainstay.(PRIVATE LABEL)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK-- Store brand absorbency products have become a mainstay of the chain drug mix thanks to private label manufacturers' offerings for both babies and seniors. Diapers ranked 15th in house brand sales last year, with volume of $73 million, according to the Private Label ...
PL marketing tactics need to be rethought.(PRIVATE LABEL)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK--While the quality of store brands is no longer in doubt, some chains are using dated practices to market them, according to one study. Many retailers, for example, are still pricing private label products at a "standard" discount--such as 10% or 20%--below national ...
Change a constant in digital world.(PHOTOGRAPHY)
Nov 06, 2006; ... NEW YORK--Manufacturers are producing photoprocessing equipment with dramatically reduced footprints, retailers are becoming more involved in such specialty photo printing as calendars and greeting cards, and interest is increasing in dry-printing units. The foregoing are some ...
Drug chains augment capabilities.(PHOTOGRAPHY)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK--Making online photo processing simple and convenient is standard procedure for chain drug stores. Retailers agree that customers are turning to them for such initiatives because of the flexibility of online services and the speed of one-hour photo processing. ...
Photoprocessing gets simpler, more flexible.(Noritsu America Corp. releases digital minilabs)
Nov 06, 2006 ... BUENA PARK, Calif.--Noritsu America Corp., which has been at the forefront of photoprocessing technology for more than half a century, has expanded its offerings this year with the QSS-3501 and QSS3502 systems. "These digital minilabs were engineered to meet the demanding ...
Fuji, Kodak keep pushing the envelope.(Eastman Kodak Co., Fuji Photo Film USA Inc.)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK--Besides providing retailers with superior printing solutions, suppliers are delivering other innovations to the photo departments in chain drug stores. Eastman Kodak Co., for example, has debuted full-service kiosks, digital camera solutions, professional photo ...
ScriptPro has introduced its smallest-ever robotic prescription dispensing system, the SP50.(TECH Talk)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... ScriptPro has introduced its smallest-ever robotic prescription dispensing system, the SP50. Designed for pharmacies that have lower prescription volume (up to 150 prescriptions a day) or ...
SureCost, a new Web-based software package from Emerlyn Technology LLC can help pharmacies optimize drug product selection and analyze offerings from vendors, its creators say.(TECH Talk)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... SureCost, a new Web-based software package from Emerlyn Technology LLC can help pharmacies optimize drug product selection and analyze offerings from vendors, its ...
Vertical Communications Inc., which markets sophisticated interactive voice response systems (IVRs) for pharmacies as well as a host of other communications solutions, has agreed to acquire Vodavi Technology Inc. for $31.2 million.(TECH Talk)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Vertical Communications Inc., which markets sophisticated interactive voice response systems (IVRs) for pharmacies as well as a host of other ...
McKesson Corp. has selected SPAR Group to provide in-store merchandising services.(TECH Talk)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... McKesson Corp. has selected SPAR Group to provide in-store merchandising services to the thousands of independent and small chain customers it supplies around the ...
Omron RFID has expanded its EPC UHF interrogator line with the introduction of the EPC Gen2 V750 interrogator.(TECH Talk)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Omron RFID has expanded its EPC UHF interrogator line with the introduction of the EPC Gen2 V750 interrogator. A spokesman says the interrogator platform is designed to ...
Pharmacies adept at deploying technology.(TECHNOLOGY)
Nov 06, 2006; ... NEW YORK -- Few pharmacies across the country could manage these days without technology. With computerized systems doing everything from keeping detailed patient records to adjudicating insurance claims to managing the increasing burden being put on community pharmacists, ...
RFID's day still coming, just later than expected.(TECHNOLOGY)(Radio Frequency Identification)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- While the incorporation of radio frequency identification (RFID) into retailing has not comes as quickly as many had initially thought, there continue to be signs that the technology is getting closer to becoming more widespread. Estimates by the research firm Frost ...
Rx supply chain security to take big step forward.(TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- Industry insiders say they expect RFID's greatest benefit to the pharmaceutical pipeline will be its ability to practically eliminate counterfeiting by establishing a history, or pedigree, of every package to ensure the integrity of the drugs as they pass from manufacturers to ...
Wrigley names first CEO from outside family.(What's New)(Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. appoints William Perez)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... William Perez has been named chief executive officer of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. He is the first person from outside the Wrigley family to head the company. Perez succeeds Bill Wrigley Jr., who will assume the new post ...
Hershey unites U.S. and Canadian operations.(What's New)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Hershey Co. is combining its United States and Canadian marketing, sales and customer marketing areas while building capabilities to capitalize on the ...
Dillon, CEO of Welch's, retires.(What's New)(Daniel Dillon, president and chief executive officer of Welch Foods Inc.)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Daniel Dillon, president and chief executive officer of Welch Foods Inc., has retired. Dillon joined Welch's in 1981, and was named to head the company in 1995. At ...
Guylian extends chocolate line.(What's New)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... Guylian Chocolate has introduced a 70% extra-dark sugar-free chocolate bar. With the growth of the dark chocolate ...
Consumables build traffic at drug chains.(MERCHANDISING)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- The importance of the consumables category to drug chains was underscored this year at a Walgreen Co. presentation to financial analysts. Basic food and beverages are powerful magnets that attract consumers and then allow the retailer to boost sales with impulse ...
Drinks deliver 'functional benefits'.(CONSUMABLES)
Nov 06, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- The diet beverage category is heating up with a new "negative calorie" green tea from Coca-Cola Co. and the proliferation of what is being billed as the first calorie-burning soft drink. Coca-Cola is rolling out Enviga sparkling green tea in the Northeast in ...
Pharmaca.(Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy has raised $18 million of additional convertible preferred stock)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... BOULDER, Colo. -- Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy has raised $18 million of additional convertible preferred stock that executives say will be used to expand the chain beyond its current 12 stores. Lexington, Mass.-based Highland Capital Partners led the financing of the deal and ...
With merger a new star is born.(News)(CVS Corp. and Caremark Rx Inc. to merge)
Nov 20, 2006; ... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- In a dramatic response to the rapidly changing health care landscape in the United States, CVS Corp., the nation's largest drug chain in terms of store count, and Caremark Rx Inc., a leading pharmacy benefits management firm, have agreed to combine in a merger of ...
Most seniors satisfied with Medicare Rx.(News)
Nov 20, 2006 ... NEW YORK -- A majority of seniors who are enrolled in a Medicare drug plan are satisfied with the plan and expect to stay with it next year, a recent Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive poll shows. As part of a broader health care poll of 2,766 adults that included 177 ...
Walgreens adds clinics.(News)
Nov 20, 2006 ... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. has debuted four walk-in Health Corner Clinics inside Chicago-area stores. The chain plans to have four additional area clinics--operated by Take Care Health Systems--open by the end of November, and 10 more in the next few months, for a total of ...
Innovative Rx solutions are Caremark's focus.(News)(Company overview)
Nov 20, 2006 ... NASHVILLE -- Caremark Rx Inc. followed its announcement of plans to merge with CVS Corp. with news that its third quarter profits had jumped 25%. The pharmacy benefits manager reported earnings of $289 million for the quarter ended September 30, up from $231 million in the ...