AS Watson acquires 50 Dirx Drugstores

Superdrug owner AS Watson has reached an agreement to buy 50 health and beauty stores from Netherlands based Dirx Drugstores.

The deal will also include an additional five locations that are being rolled out.

All of the Dirx employees will join AS Watson and the stores will continue to operate under the brands of Kruidvat or Trekpleister.

Gerard van Breen, chief executive of AS Watson Health & Beauty Benelux, said: “We are delighted with this acquisition. The addition of these stores expands our national coverage making our stores accessible to even more consumers.

“We are also pleased to welcome the employees to our organisation. The stores will operate under the banner of Kruidvat or Trekpleister. We are looking forward to having customers here benefit from our large range of bargain-price products.”