One of the UK’s largest pharmacy chains is shutting down all of its supermarket branches.
Lloyds Pharmacy will be closing all of its branches inside Sainsbury’s stores. This includes health sites in Fitzherbet Road, Farlington, and Wallington Way, Fareham.
Six other locations across Hampshire – Badger Farm Road in Winchester, Leigh Road in Eastleigh, Queensmead in Farnborough, Tollbar Way in Hedge End, Wallop Drive in Basingstoke and Mulfords Hill, Tadley – are also on the chopping block. The decision was made to close the pharmacy branches on Tuesday.
All Lloyd's Pharmacy branches in Sainsbury's supermarkets are due to close. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA.
This is expected to put 2,000 jobs at risk. The cuts were put in place after Aurelius, a multinational private equity firm, purchased Lloyds Pharmacy’s parent company McKesson UK in April 2022.
A spokesperson from Lloyds Pharmacy told Pharmacy Business and the Independent: ‘In January 2023 Lloyds Pharmacy 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 June 13, 2023. Throughout the process, Lloyds Pharmacy 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.’ Aurelius blamed ‘changing market conditions’ for the closures, adding that it’s ‘exploring options’ for each individual site.
Exact closure plans on a ‘branch-by-branch’ basis will be announced soon. Lloyds Pharmacy is the second largest pharmacy chain in the UK, second only to Boots.
The company is not closing entirely, with hundreds of standalone shops staying open.
