Not Your Grandmother’s Supermarket Pharmacy

Brands are taking their health care offerings to new heights

By Sandy Levy

When the pandemic hit, supermarket pharmacies responded with supersonic speed, offering COVID vaccines and testing, curbside pickup and home delivery, while simultaneously maintaining their myriad clinical responsibilities.

In the post COVID environment, supermarkets are continuing to innovate to care for their customers, who have a new mindset when it comes to staying healthy. With expanded pharmacy services and a vast array of nutritious foods under one roof, they have an exceptional opportunity to become health care destinations.

The Food Marketing Institute’s latest Report on Retailer Contributions to Health and Well-being in 2021 shows that grocery stores have indeed made substantial investments to become healthcare destinations. Eighty-four percent of respondents said their company has an established health and well-being strategy; 84% of retailers report their company offers health and well-being activities for employees and customers, an increase from 49% in 2019; and 54% of pharmacists, dietitians and other healthcare practitioners collaborate to enhance and develop new health and wellbeing programs for food retailers—up from 42% in 2019.

What’s more, consumers are increasingly interested in receiving health care from supermarket pharmacies, as evidenced by a recent Advantage Solutions’ Pulse Survey conducted among 1,000 respondents: 4 in 10 say they’re likely to visit a health clinic at a supermarket.

DSN asked several supermarket pharmacy executives to weigh in on the state of their business.

DSN: What patient-facing services are your supermarket pharmacies offering?

MARC WATKINS, chief medical officer at Kroger Health: Kroger Health and the Kroger Family of Pharmacies operate more than 2,200 pharmacies in 35 states. We offer healthcare services available to customers in their hometown grocery store. Our team of healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, nurse practitioners and registered dietitians, provide a suite of services and support both in-store and online. Customers can engage with services including meeting with a registered dietitian in-store, online telenutrition appointments, access to clinical trials, routine vaccine administration, COVID-19 services and other health screenings and tests. Our retail health clinics, known as The Little Clinics, provide affordable health care in select Kroger and affiliate stores. Our licensed