Boots latest news
Boots is a pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer that has over 2,500 stores across the UK.
The company is part of the retail pharmacy international division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, a US pharmacy, healthcare and wellbeing retail brand.
Boots pharmacies provide prescription and healthcare services, and it is also a leader in the optical market with 548 practices, some of which operate on a franchise basis. In addition, it offers a range of hearing care services within Boots stores or in standalone outlets.
The company also sells a range of cosmetics, skincare and other beauty products, as well electrical items, food-to-go, clothing and non-pharmacy healthcare products.
The Boots website and mobile app enables customers to order from a range of over 37,000 products and collect them from approximately 74% of the UK’s retail stores the following day.
Boots offers customers access to its Boots Advantage Card loyalty programme which has around 12 million active members in the UK and Ireland.
In addition, Boots owns the No7 Beauty Company which is dedicated to beauty and skincare innovation. The company’s collection of brands also includes Boots Brand Healthcare, Boots Soltan, Botanics, Your Good Skin, Sleek Makeup, Soap & Glory and the recently relaunched 17.
The company also operates online through its own Boots website and Soap & Glory also has a dedicated website. Boots’ products and services are available online and in over 20,000 stores in 16 markets worldwide.
Products and services include:
- Pharmacy products
- Healthcare services such as opticians, hearing care and vaccines
- Cosmetics and beauty products
- Non-pharmacy healthcare items
- Electrical products such as hairdryers
- Clothing including baby and toddler ranges and maternity wear
- Food-to-go
Boots owner Walgreens’ Boots Alliance is based in the US. The company has approximately 13,000 locations across the US, Europe and Latin America and more than 315,000 team members and a presence in nine countries. Its brand portfolio includes Walgreens, Boots, Duane Reade, the No7 Beauty Company, Benavides in Mexico and Ahumada in Chile. Additionally, WBA has a portfolio of healthcare-focused investments in several countries, including China and the US.
Stores
Boots says its UK shops can be accessed within 10 minutes by around 86% of the population. The breakdown of retail locations worldwide is as follows:
- UK: 2,500
- Thailand: 293
- Norway: 15
- Republic of Ireland: 89
- Netherlands: 59
- Malta: 3
- Indonesia: 3
Employees
Boots employs people both in its stores, head office and distribution centres in places like Beeston and Burton-on-Trent.
- UK employees: 56,000
- Ireland employees: 1,900
Head office
Boots’ head office is based in Nottingham, the city where it was founded by John Boot in 1849.
Address: PO Box 5300, 1 Thane Road, Nottingham NG7 2TG
Financials
Year to August 2020
Revenue: £5.9 billion
Pre-tax loss: £258 million
Year to August 2019
Revenue: £6.6 billion
Pre-tax profit: £167 million
Contact information
Boots can be contacted via phone at its Nottingham head office.
Tel: 0345 070 8090
