Chain Drug Review articles from September 2006

Chain Drug Review archives from September 2006

Rite Aid makes itself more competitive by bulking up.(News)
September 11, 2006... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp. is shoring up its position as the nation's No. 3 drug chain with its acquisition of the Jean Coutu Group's Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy subsidiary. The $3.4 billion deal will bring an additional 1,858 drug stores,...

Where next for Coutu in Canada?(News)(Jean Coutu Group )
September 11, 2006... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- With the sale of its assets in the United States leaving the Jean Coutu Group with a strong balance sheet and the consequent ability to readily finance an expanded Canadian operation, the company's management is still left...

Krahulec, Rite Aid VP, dies unexpectedly at 60.(News)(Jim Krahulec)(Obituary)
September 11, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Rite Aid Corp. vice president of government and trade relations Jim Krahulec died suddenly in late August while attending the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy & Technology Conference here. A statement issued...

Civello says Rx needs to go on the offensive.(Tony Civello)
September 11, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Imminent decisions by the pharmacy community will make or break its future, industry leaders said at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy & Technology Conference here late last month. "This is the most...

Hurricane Katrina: one year later.(News)
September 11, 2006... NEW ORLEANS -- On the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, many here and in other Gulf Coast communities still have justifiable complaints about the response from the federal and state government to the disaster--but no one is complaining...

USA Drug names Courtright president.(News)(Joe Courtright)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- USA Drug has named Joe Courtright, vice president of pharmacy for its Western division, the company's new president. He succeeds Terry Viala who left the company last month. The 40-year-old Courtright has been with...

Merger at a glance (1).(News)(Table)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Merger at a glance (1) Rite Aid Brooks Eckerd New Rite Aid Stores (2) 3,319 1,858 5,177 Associates 70,200 46,100 116,300 Revenue ...

Canada's pharmacies evolve with market.(News)
September 11, 2006... TORONTO -- While preoccupied, as always, with competitive issues and the projected effects of new government interventions, Canada's chain pharmacies have not had to worry over much so far in 2006 about either the effects of inflation or the...

Medicare Rx premiums to hold steady in 2007.(News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The average premium for Medicare prescription drug coverage is expected to be about $24 a month in 2007, a figure that is the same as this year and 40% less than initially projected for next year. The drug benefit, which...

FDA O.K.s O-T-C sales of Plan B.(News)
September 11, 2006... WASHINGTON -- A "dual status" decision by the Food and Drug Administration will provide over-the-counter access of Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Plan B to those 18 and older while maintaining a prescription requirement for the emergency...

NACDS divests ChainDrugStore.net.(News)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- ChainDrugStore.net has completed a management-led buyout from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, its former parent company. "Completion of this transaction marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in...

Drugstore.com offers help to Alaskans.(News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Drugstore.com Inc. is responding to a report on high drug costs in Anchorage, Alaska, by offering all residents of that state a 5% discount on their prescription drug orders. The report, "Paying the Price," was compiled...

Even then, the handwriting was already on the wall.(News)
September 11, 2006... Editor's note: The following article first appeared in the June 7, 2004 edition of Chain Drug Review. LARGO, Fla. -- The phones no longer ring at Eckerd Corp.'s headquarters building on Tampa Bay. The offices are quiet, in an eerie, Rod...

In your shoes.(News)(Cartoon)
September 11, 2006... "You do the work of somebody twice as afraid to lose his job."

NBTY agrees to acquire Zila.(Supplier News)(Zila Nutraceuticals Inc.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... BOHEMIA, N.Y. -- NBTY Inc. has announced that it is acquiring Zila Nutraceuticals Inc., manufacturer and marketer of the Ester-C nutritional supplements brand. NBTY will purchase the stock of Zila for about $40 million in cash in a...

Milk beneficial for chains as well as consumers.(Supplier News)
September 11, 2006... NEW YORK -- Milk is being promoted as a beverage that can help consumers slim down. However, according to the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), it can also help drug chains bulk up their sales and profits. The organization notes...

A tool for controlling sun exposure.(Supplier News)(SunCheck monitors )(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... DAYTON, Ohio -- A growing number of retailers, executives at Inno-Via LLC say, have become interested in the company's SunCheck UV monitors. Unlike other products on the market that help people know when they have been exposed to the sun...

Deal takes Nutrition 21 into omega-3 category.(Supplier News)(Nutrition 21 Inc. acquires Iceland Health Inc. )(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... PURCHASE, N.Y. -- Nutrition 21 Inc. is purchasing Iceland Health Inc. in a transaction that will allow it to enter the omega-3 market. The combination of the two companies is expected to create a consumer health products business with broad...

Playtex Sport tampons make debut.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... WESTPORT, Conn. -- Playtex Products Inc. has introduced Playtex Sport, a tampon designed to give women confidence when their bodies are in motion. Executives describe Playtex Sport as "a major breakthrough in design to help active women...

Pharmavite shifts three key execs.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Pharmavite LLC has shuffled its management team, naming chief operating officer Connie Barry president and cochief executive officer. In addition, Steve Chopp, who has overseen the company's strategy and development...

Preliminary injunction stops sales of Apotex' generic version of Plavix.(Supplier News)
September 11, 2006... NEW YORK -- A preliminary injunction has been ordered in a patent-infringement case over the drug Plavix, forcing Apotex Corp. to halt sales of its generic version of the medication. Apotex chief executive officer Bernard Sherman calls the...

King of Shaves' Williams is honored.(Supplier News)(Philip Williams)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... NEW YORK -- Philip Williams, president of sales and marketing at King of Shaves, was recognized at the recent "40-Under-Forty" achievement awards ceremony sponsored by The Network Journal (TNJ) a New York City-based magazine that focuses on...

Energizer unveils phone charger.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... ST. LOUIS -- Energizer Holdings Inc. has introduced Energizer Energi To Go, a portable battery-powered device that is said to be capable of supplying power to the majority of wireless phones. Energi To Go Instant Cell Phone Charger, which...

L'Oreal teams up with Diane Keaton.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... NEW YORK -- L'Oreal Paris is debuting a national print and broadcast advertising campaign for Age Perfect skin care products, featuring the company's newest spokeswoman, actress Diane Keaton. Keaton's first-ever beauty product ads, for...

Kimberly-Clark revamps diaper line.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... DALLAS -- Kimberly-Clark Corp. is replacing its line of Huggies Supreme diapers with two new premium Huggies Supreme diaper products that it says provide customized comfort to meet babies' changing needs. The company maintains that its new...

Imagenetix launches retail branding program.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Imagenetix Inc. has initiated a nationwide retail branding program of proprietary products that are sold through mass retail outlets. The first SKUs to be branded under the program will be the company's Celadrin-based joint...

Net decreases slightly at Coutu in fiscal '06.(Business)
September 11, 2006... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Although its 2004 acquisition of some 1,500 Eckerd drug stores drove a double-digit increase in revenues for the Jean Coutu Group during fiscal 2006, net income for the year fell and fourth quarter results failed to meet...

Longs continues to make gains in profitability.(Business)(Longs Drug Stores )
September 11, 2006... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Aided by declining interest costs and a lower effective tax rate, Longs Drug Stores parlayed a slight rise in operating profit into a double-digit bottom-line gain during the second quarter of fiscal 2007. With results...

McKesson gets off to good start in its new fiscal year.(Business)
September 11, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO--McKesson Corp. began its fiscal 2007 year with a solid 12.6% top-line gain, but earnings growth was unable to keep pace due to the impact of charges. Still, per-share earnings before special items topped Wall Street's...

Rite Aid takes giant step forward with deal.(My Turn, Rite Aid Merges with Brooks Eckerd drug chain)
September 11, 2006... The initial reaction here and across the chain drug industry to Rite Aid's announced intention to buy the Brooks Eckerd drug chain was something to the effect that the proposed acquisition benefits Brooks Eckerd more than Rite Aid. On further...

It's getting tougher to be one of the 'little guys'.(My Turn)
September 11, 2006... The road traveled by regional drug chains and independent pharmacies is getting considerably rougher, and the future for them is filled with uncertainty. The phenomenal growth of Walgreens and CVS has created a chasm in the trade class...

CVS' purchase of Osco, Sav-on seen as strategic coup.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS, CVS Corp)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Corp.'s decision earlier this year to pay nearly $3 billion for Albertsons Inc.'s freestanding Osco and Sav-on stores was one that will provide the drug chain with immediate benefits and help keep it atop the industry...

A history of expansion through acquisition.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Recognizing early on that bigger was better, CVS has used a series of mergers and acquisitions over the past decade and a half to transform itself into America's largest drug chain. For close to 30 years organic growth...

Retailer has savoir faire in branding.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS understands a brand's value. In recent years the drug chain has been as successful as any retailer in the country at crafting an image and consistently communicating it to consumers. CVS is now applying that...

CVS once again makes assimilation process look easy.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- After closing the agreement to purchase Albertsons Inc.'s 703 stand-alone drug stores in June, CVS is moving along briskly with its assimilation of the units. "We have been operating all the stores under our systems...

'The start of an exciting new chapter'.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- With CVS in the midst of integrating its second major group of drug stores in the past two years and its fourth in the past decade, executives indicate that they are starting to master the process of bringing other...

Bigger-format stores will test merchandising know-how.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' acquisition of Albertsons Inc.'s Osco and Sav-on drug stores will significantly increase the audience for CVS' exclusive brands and give the drug chain the ability to market a broader selection of items than it does in...

CVS demonstrates that 'it's a great learning organization'.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)
September 11, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A smoothly running network of stores is about to be put into a higher gear. That is Dennis Palmer's assessment of CVS' integration of Sav-on Drugs units. As senior vice president of western operations for CVS,...

Latest transaction adds strength to strength.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' purchase of Albertsons Inc.'s freestanding drug stores differed in one important respect from its previous large-scale acquisitions--the outlets it obtained were highly successful under their previous owner. CVS...

Stores get CVS look.(THE CVS EMPIRE GROWS)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... CVS is putting its distinctive stamp on the Osco and Sav-on outlets that it acquired from Albertsons Inc. in June. CVS signage is evident in the pharmacy department (above) at the former Sav-on in Saugus, Calif., and banners touting the...

SPFs become a 'must' in buying decisions.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Three simple letters--SPF--have taken on growing importance in consumers' choice of skin care products. Standing for sun protection factor, SPFs are being formulated into an increasing number of skin care products, ranging from daily...

'Skin care is complicated'.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Industry overview)
September 11, 2006... Skin care continues to be one of the hottest and most quickly evolving sectors in all of chain drug retailing. According to Information Resources Inc., sales in all except a handful of the 15 categories in the skin care market increased...

Depilatories play a complementary role.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... With nearly 80% of women continuing to rely on tweezing and shaving to remove unwanted hair, there is tremendous potential for growth in the depilatories market. "This is definitely a category that will continue to grow," notes Henry...

Skin care gets individualized.(Exclusively Skin Care)
September 11, 2006... Skin care--especially items aimed at helping people retain a youthful appearance--will be one of the most active areas for product launches this year, researchers say. According to the Mintel Global New Products Database, more than 156,000...

Taking care of pores.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Kao Brands Co.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... A recent study by Kao Brands Co. found that excess oil is the No. 1 facial care problem of women between the ages of 18 and 40. Based on that finding, the company has launched a shine control collection and a Pore minimizing collection...

ECRM tracks ads; aging baby boomers are primary target.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... A recent ECRM look at the advertising devoted to skin care underscores the increasing attention Americans are paying to their appearance. Data from the company's tracking of ads from major retailers shows that baby boomers are being...

Skin care finds a whole new audience.(Exclusively Skin Care)
September 11, 2006... Skin care is certainly no longer a category dominated by women. With the dramatic growth in the number of men using sophisticated cleansers, moisturizers and antiaging products over the past few years, the men's segment has become an...

Latest hot trend is around the corner.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... The same bacteria found in yogurt could someday be used in skin care products. Researchers at the German chemical company BASF AG, working in collaboration with the biotechnology firm Organo Balance AG, say they have created an ingredient...

Mass retailers should get the truth out.(Exclusively Skin Care)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... According to Dr. Leslie Baumann, professor of cosmetic dermatology at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine and the author of The Skin Type Solution, there are several skin care myths that retailers should know about. Two of...

Antiaging and much more.(Facial)(Skin creams)
September 11, 2006... Just as facial skin care is the star of the antiaging skin care category, chain drug stores remain the stars among mass market retailers merchandising the products. With the majority of facial skin care sales in the drug class of trade,...

Advanced technology promises to do for skin care what it did for oral hygiene.(Facial)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Depending on how it is done, washing the face can either improve the skin or dry it out. The primary inventor of the Sonicare toothbrush recently discovered a way to bring the benefits of sonic oscillation technology to the process. ...

Botanicals moisturize naturally, seductively.(Facial)(Kao Corp.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... A number of products now combine botanicals with the latest in dermatological technology to bring optimum moisturizing to face and skin care. That is the prime objective of Kao Corp.'s Phytomax Lift Essence AA, a new skin care item that...

Even the youthful worry.(Antiaging)
September 11, 2006... As the average age of the United States population increases, antiaging products have become the driving force in the skin care category, and chain drug stores are perfectly positioned to take advantage of this surge in sales. Attracting a...

New products empower; consumers move to total body care.(Antiaging)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... As the antiaging segment sizzles, suppliers continue to roll out a host of appealing products and line extensions. While the face category has been the focus of antiaging products, the body arena has received less attention. Beiersdorf Inc....

Nutricosmetics link skin and body care.(Antiaging)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... The desire to slow the aging process and maintain a youthful appearance without plastic surgery has inspired the beauty industry's latest innovation: the nutricosmetic. Kline & Co., a market research firm, has released a study that...

An economical way to 'help turn back the clock'.(At-Home Dermabrasion)
September 11, 2006... Among the fastest-growing segments of the skin care market are dermatologist-driven treatments. And no products exemplify that trend more than at-home microdermabrasion kits. Americans are embracing nonsurgical methods of enhancing...

Chains become skin care destinations.(At-Home Dermabrasion)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... A number of drug chains have enhanced their positioning in the at-home microdermabrasion category with distinctive skin care departments. One of the best examples of this phenomenon may be provided by Quebec-based Uniprix Inc. with its...

At-home dermabrasion products an integral part of merchandise mix.(At-Home Dermabrasion)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... The competitiveness of the at-home microdermabrasion category was evident last month from the range of products and price points in the segment at New York City drug stores. A CVS unit had Procter & Gamble Co.'s Olay Regenerist...

Exclusive lines in vogue.(Hand & Body)(Walgreen Co and CVS Corp. launches skin care products)
September 11, 2006... The importance of the hand and body category to drug chains is clearly evident at the industry's two largest players. Walgreen Co. is making a dramatic statement in this skin care segment with its launch of exclusive European lines, while...

Diverse market demands differentiated products.(Hand & Body)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... As chain drug retailers target the growing Hispanic market, hand and body product suppliers are doing their part with new items formulated for Latin skin. Newhall Laboratories Inc., for one, has expand its La Bella brand--which is heavily...

Retailers count on hand and body lotions to strike chord with shoppers.(Hand & Body)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... The appeal of hand and body lotions has earned them a prominent place in chain drug circulars. Rite Aid Corp., for example, featured Alberto-Culver Co.'s St. Ives brand in the "Perfect Pairs" section of a recent flyer. The Perfect Pairs...

'A segment women flock to'.(Hand & Body)(sales of toiletries industry)(Industry overview)
September 11, 2006... Hand and body lotion sales have been soaring, and suppliers and retailers are doing all they can to sustain that momentum. Dollar volume of lotions in drug stores rose nearly 13% in the year ended July 16, with Unilever's Vaseline Intensive...

Capacity to beautify, emotional power animate skin care.(Hand & Body)(introducing skin care products)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... For all the attention on antiaging ingredients, moisturizers may be just as--or even more--important to hand and body products' appeal. Skin that feels good is paramount to women, and moisturizers--more than antiaging formulations--make for...

Consumers respond to natural approach.(Hand & Body)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... In the hand and body lotion category, as in other H&BA segments, natural products are all the rage. "Skin feels very vulnerable to women, so they want to treat it as gently as possible," says one chain drug category manager. "To the extent...

Products promise to do much more than clean.(Bath/Body/Spa)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Many consumers see the bath and shower category as offering affordable ways to pamper themselves and escape from their stressful lives. To meet that need, products need to offer more than the ability to clean. Fragrances are one part of...

Changing dynamics recast category.(Bath/Body/Spa)
September 11, 2006... Declining bar soap sales have held down the overall bath/shower/spa category, but consumer preferences toward higher-end body washes and scrubbers--along with products that promise the at-home skin care and therapeutic benefits that are more...

Target fosters new attitudes toward bath/body.(Bath/Body/Spa)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Target Stores is demonstrating that a discount store leader can also be recognized as an upscale provider of products in the bath category. Earlier this year Minneapolis-based Target debuted its own bath and body line of about 20 items,...

Soap undergoing a metamorphosis.(Personal Soaps)
September 11, 2006... Bar soaps are still the top choice for people taking baths or showers, but they are rapidly losing ground to liquid soaps, shower gels and specialty products fortified with antistress or aromatherapy ingredients. That is according to...

Clean hands key to better health.(Personal Soaps)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Regular hand washing is considered to be one of the most effective things people can do to keep from getting sick or spreading disease to others, according to the American Society for Microbiology. Many consumers are taking that advice to...

Suppliers stay on cutting edge in marketing.(Personal Soaps)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Soap operas got their name from the fact that soap manufacturers sponsored the dramas, which were broadcast first on radio and then on television. Now soap makers are taking advantage of the Internet's potential as an advertising and...

Striking the right balance is the biggest challenge.(Ethnic)
September 11, 2006... While the ethnic population in the United States continues to boom, retailers are still grappling with the best method of reaching ethnic skin care consumers and how to meet their specific needs. Although the percentage of people of color...

'Unique' skin requires special attention.(Ethnic)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Ethnic consumers face unique risk factors when it comes to their skin. Common skin problems among people of color include hyperpigmentation, where patches of skin become darker; flesh molds (brown or black raised dark spots seen almost...

Suppliers turn attention to Hispanics, Asians.(Ethnic)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Ethnic skin care suppliers have traditionally focused on the African-American community, but with the rapid growth of both the Hispanic and Asian-American markets, many suppliers have recently expanded their reach and product lines. ...

Treatment options grow.(Therapeutic)(anti acne products grow)
September 11, 2006... Despite the emphasis in recent years on antiaging products and cosmeceuticals, skin care's roots lie in the therapeutic segment. Forged by such medicated products as Galderma Laboratories LP's Cetaphil, Pfizer Inc.'s Lubriderm, Rise...

Seasonality a factor.(Therapeutic)(winter and antiacne agents cause dry skin)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... As bad as acne is for some people, dermatologists say winter often makes it worse. With cold, dry air and biting winds in many parts of the country causing people's skin to dry out, the use of acne medications formulated with salicylic...

Pharmacists wield a lot of clout with consumers.(Therapeutic)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... People trust their health care providers. Whether it comes from their physician or the pharmacist at the neighborhood drug store, a product recommended by a health care professional is likely to appeal to consumers. "People respect...

Therapeutic positioning is a winner across the board.(Therapeutic)(Coria Laboratories Inc.)
September 11, 2006... Skin care has never strayed too far from its beginnings as an ethical category. While recent years have seen a growing number of skin care products positioned more as beauty care items than over-the-counter remedies, nowhere is skin care's...

Marketng dedication.(Therapeutic)(scar treatment products)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Supplier turnover in the scar management segment has led to dramatic swings in the amount of advertising and promotional support being given to retailers. At least one company, however, says that it has not wavered in its dedication to the...

Direct marketing creates demand for products before they hit store shelves.(Therapeutic)(Preval Health Group)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Over the years consumers looking for relief from painful and irritating skin conditions have turned to their neighborhood drug store for remedies to alleviate their problems. At least one company, however, has made the purchasing of...

Scar management is a hotbed of activity.(Therapeutic)
September 11, 2006... Scar treatment is quickly becoming one of the most innovative and competitive segments in skin care. And while the companies that were first to market scar products have established dominant positions in the segment, the race is heating...

All-day moisturizing.(Therapeutic)(Arco Group Inc.)(body butters)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... As the gap between prestige and mass market skin care continues to shrink, more suppliers of specialty products are taking their offerings to a larger audience. Such is the case of Arco Group Inc., the manufacturer of a line of 10 body...

New ingredients touted as next big thing.(Therapeutic)(NFI Consumer Products)(animal oils in toiletries)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Skin care scientists have recently turned to the animal world to help them develop products to heal scars. NFI Consumer Products, for example, uses emu oil as the active ingredient in the Transdermis Scare Therapy it expects to launch at...

Drug chains no longer content to let others set the pace.(COSMETICS/FRAGRANCES)
September 11, 2006... NEW YORK -- When it comes to beauty, this is no longer your mother's drug store. Until recently, being first to market with hot items and offering compelling displays were the last things shoppers expected to find at their local drug...

Eye makeup emerges as the star performer.(MERCHANDISING)
September 11, 2006... NEW YORK -- They say that eyes are the window to the soul, and the eye makeup segment has indeed become the soul of the color cosmetics category in chain drug stores. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), while dollar sales rose...