After more than 70 years, The Co-operative Pharmacy brand is to disappear as part of a revamp by its new owners.
The 780 Co-operative Pharmacy stores which employ more than 7,000 staff in Britain will be re-launched under the name Well.
The rebranding follows the £620 million takeover of the pharmacies by family-owned Bestway Group last year, the company which controls the chain of Best-one convenience stores. Bestway said it plans to invest £200 million into revamping the business and wants to grow Well’s annual revenues from £750 million to £1 billion by 2019. It will spend £40 million a year on refurbishing pharmacies, hiring new staff, expanding the group’s range of health services, and building a wholesale business.
John Nuttall, chief executive of Well, said: "Bestway Group's major investment will not only create new jobs, it will also enable the business to develop the role of the pharmacy team to provide personalised healthcare and deliver an excellent patient experience, improving health and reducing health inequalities in local communities in the process."
