Boots issues store closure update - with last of 300 shops to shut within weeks

The health and beauty retailer is in the process of shutting 300 stores

Boots has provided an update on its ongoing store closures, confirming that the remaining outlets are set to close within weeks. As part of a strategy to shutter 300 sites, the health and beauty retailer has closed 290 branches thus far.

According to a report by The Sun, the final ten stores will close by the end of October. Boots has never released a comprehensive list of all the locations being shut down, but most of the affected stores have closed upon expiration of their leases.

With these closures, Boots will reduce its total number of stores from approximately 2,200 to just under 1,900. In the majority of instances, Boots has assured customers that there will be an alternative store within three miles.

Back in June when the closures were announced, the parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, stated: "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."

Boots has reassured its staff that all affected employees will be offered alternative positions in other stores, amidst store closure announcements. The high street pharmacy chain saw over 200 stores shuttered within an 18-month span in 2019, and in 2020, it declared the closure of 48 opticians, resulting in 4,000 job losses.

Last month, Boots reported a surge in sales for the latest quarter despite its parent company revising profit projections downwards and confirming store closures in the US.

Boots UK experienced a boost in sales in June across its pharmacy and retail offerings for the quarter ending in May. Still, with a total sales growth of just 1.6%, the numbers pointed to a deceleration largely due to the impact of store closures from the past year.

The overall group sales increased by 2.6% to $36.4 billion (£28.8 billion) for the quarter concluding in May, buoyed by robust pharmacy sales in the US which helped balance a dip in retail sectors.

In recent developments, the health and beauty giant disclosed that Sebastian James, its managing director, will be stepping down in November following a six-year tenure. Mr James stated: "It has been a pleasure to lead this fantastic company and support its transformation during my time as managing director."

He continued by affirming his pride in being part of a business that still plays an essential role in the nation's health and beauty industries, saying, "Now in its 175th year, Boots has shaped how people access health and beauty products on the high street and I am proud to have been part of a business that continues to hold a critical role at the centre of the UK health and beauty sectors."