Boots has never published a full list of which stores will be closing under the plans, but most stores will pull down the shutters for the final time once their lease expires
Boots has confirmed exactly how many of the 300 chemists that were earmarked for closure have already shut for good.
The health and beauty chain has revealed to The Sun that 257 stores have now shut – and the remaining 43 shops will close by the beginning of October. Boots has never published a full list of which stores will be closing under the plans, but most stores will pull down the shutters for the final time once their lease expires.
Boots will reduce its number of shops from around 2,200 to just 1,900. In most cases, Boots has said shoppers will have an alternative store less than three miles away. At the time of the announcement back in June last year, Boots’ owner Walgreens Boots Alliance said: “Evolving the store estate in this way allows Boots to concentrate its team members where they are needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up to date environment.”
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Boots has said all affected workers are being offered alternative roles in other stores. The retailer closed more than 200 stores over 18 months in 2019 and in 2020, it announced 48 opticians would close with the loss of 4,000 jobs. Last month, Boots revealed a jump in sales for the latest quarter, as its parent firm cut profit forecasts and announced US store closures.
Boots UK revealed higher sales across its pharmacy and retail businesses over the quarter to the end of May. However, total sales growth slowed to 1.6% as it was impacted by store closures over the past year. Overall group sales were 2.6% higher at $36.4billion (£28.8 billion) for the quarter to May, as its US business saw stronger pharmacy sales offset a retail slump.
