This segment operates 3,665 retail stores, with a growing omnichannel and online presence. Our principal retail brands are Boots in the UK, Thailand, and the Republic of Ireland, Boots Opticians and Benavides in Mexico. We also have Boots franchise operations in the Middle East and Indonesia.
Number of Retail Stores by Country
| Country | Number of retail stores |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 2,177 |
| Mexico | 1,151 |
| Thailand | 243 |
| Republic of Ireland | 94 |
| Total | 3,665 |
Our retail stores are conveniently located and put pharmacists at the heart of healthcare.
More than 85 percent of the UK population lives within 10 minutes of a Boots store, so its pharmacists are well-positioned to provide a significant role in the provision of healthcare services. Working closely with other primary healthcare providers in the communities we serve, Boots offers more than 100 healthcare services both online and in store and dispenses an average of 3.67 million items per week.
In addition, Boots is one of the leaders in the optical market, with 543 practices, of which 164 operate on a franchise basis. Approximately 30 percent of practices are located in Boots stores, with the balance being standalone optical practices.
We continually seek to enhance the position of Boots as a trusted pharmacy brand and a leading provider of health and beauty products, services and advice in local communities. We do this by delivering expert customer care, by improving our store experience for customers and, increasingly, through developing our omnichannel offering.
As the UK's number one most visited health and beauty website, Boots.com and its integrated mobile app allows customers to collect their orders from approximately 75 percent of the UK’s retail stores the following day. The Boots Advantage Card loyalty program continues to be a key element of the Boots offering, with approximately 14 million active members as of Aug. 31, 2023 in the UK and Ireland.
Acquired in 2014, Farmacias Benavides is our pharmacy chain in Mexico that operates 1,151 stores.
*As of August 31, 2023
In addition to Boots stores in the UK, Thailand and the Republic of Ireland, WBA works with franchise partners in the Middle East and Indonesia to bring the iconic Boots brand to new geographies, including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.
With its two wholesale brands Alliance Healthcare® Deutschland and GEHE®, as well as the strong pharmacy cooperations alphega and gesund leben, Frankfurt-based Alliance Healthcare Deutschland GmbH is one of the most important healthcare service providers for pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers in Germany. With a modern network and future-oriented services, the wholesaler guarantees a nationwide supply of pharmaceuticals and healthcare services together with its partners.
