CVS Health announced this week it is harnessing the power of design to activate its purpose. The national drugstore chain is rolling out a new store renovation project that builds on its mission to help people on their path to better health.
Three years after becoming the very first national pharmacy to remove cigarettes and tobacco products from store shelves, CVS announced on Wednesday that it will be implementing a new store format that will see a reduction in floor space dedicated to seasonal items and junk food. The redesign will also see items such as natural beauty products, nutritious snacks and natural supplements prioritized. Candy, which has traditionally monopolized the pharmacy’s front counter, will moved to another location in the store, and its highly coveted spot will be taken over by healthier options such as protein bars, sugar-free snacks and organic items.
“We’re doing this because this is actually what consumers want,” said Judy Sansone, Senior VP for front store business and Chief Merchant. “This is what they’re buying.”
The renovation project has already been implemented in 800 of CVS’s 9,700 stores — and it’s already paying off. Redesigned spaces have seen an average sales increase of 2.5 percent. This is good news for the pharmacy chain, which reported significant losses last year as a result of both declining prescriptions and retail sales.
CVS' redesign follows in the footsteps of other retail giants taking bold actions to improve the health of their offerings: In 2014, Tesco, the UK’s largest grocery chain, removed sweets and chocolates from all checkouts across all of its Irish stores.
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Published Apr 19, 2017 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST