As mail-in prescriptions, online pharmacies, and in-store CVS locations become more popular, Walgreens has seen its stronghold on prescription fulfillment diminish. On October 15, 2024, Walgreens Boots Alliance (the parent company of Walgreens, Duane Reade, and Boots) announced its decision to shut down over 1,000 stores. Over the next three years, many Americans who depend on Walgreens might find their local dr-gstore closing.
Walgreens is closing 1,200 stores, while Amazon Pharmacy is expanding to 20 more cities, showing their different ideas about pharmacy services. Walgreens is focusing on the stores it still has, while Amazon is growing its online prescription service to reach more people.
With many pharmacies closing, other companies are stepping in. On October 9, Amazon Pharmacy shared plans to expand, so that almost half of U.S. customers can get same-day medication delivery by late 2025. Shortly after, Walmart started same-day prescription delivery in six states and plans to cover 49 states by January. Both are focusing on faster delivery to keep up with customers’ needs in a shifting pharmacy market.
While e-dr-gstores are rising in popularity, Walgreen’s chief pharmacy officer, Rick Gates, is secure in his opinion that brick-and-mortar pharmacies will not dissapear entirely. “Clients have various preferences about how they manage their own healthcare”, he said to the press earlier this week. “[…] our goal is to ensure we’re the most convenient, pharmacy-led provider with the right solutions for their needs.”
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