Major pharmacy chain to close 237 branches in supermarkets today – is your local affected?
13 June 2023, 06:58 | Updated: 13 June 2023, 15:52
A major UK pharmacy chain is set to close hundreds of branches located in supermarkets today.
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Lloyds Pharmacy will close all of its 237 branches located in Sainsbury’s shops by the end of today, as confirmed by the supermarket.
The chain had previously announced that these services would be discontinued by the end of 2023, but the decision has been brought forward.
This means that Sainsbury's supermarkets in towns and cities, including locations such as Nottinghamshire, Kent, and Surrey, will no longer have access to the pharmacy services provided by Lloyds.
A spokesperson from Sainsbury's said: "At the start of this year, LloydsPharmacy announced its decision to withdraw pharmacy services from Sainsbury’s stores. Since then, we have been working with them to ensure customers are clear on how they can access an alternative pharmacy provision to meet their needs."
Sainsbury's also mentioned that they are currently finalizing plans to use the space left by the pharmacies, although the approach may vary from store to store.
Lloyds, which operates 1,300 branches, has already closed six locations earlier this month.
Kevin Birch, chief executive officer of LloydsPharmacy, said: “This decision has not been an easy one and we understand that our patients and customers may have questions about how the change will affect them.
“We would like to thank them for their continued support and assure them that we are committed to providing a smooth transition over the coming months.
“I am very grateful to all our colleagues for their dedication to our patients, customers and communities.”
This is the full list of Lloyds pharmacies closing in Sainbury's supermarkets today:
- Alperton
- Alphington Road
- Altrincha
- Amblecote
- Apsley Mills
- Archer Road
- Arnold
- Ashton Moss
- Badger Farm
- Bagshot Rd
- Ballymena In
- Bamber Bridge
- Banbury
- Barnstaple
- Barnwood
- Bath
- Beaconsfield
- Berryden
- Bicester
- Biggleswade
- Bishop Auckland
- Blackheath
- Bognor Regis
- Bolton
- Bramingham Park
- Brentwood
- Bridgend
- Broadcut
- Brookwood
- Burnley
- Burpham
- Bury St Edmunds
- Bybrook
- Calcot
- Cannock
- Canterbury
- Carlisle
- Castle Point
- Chaddesden
- Chadwell Heath
- Chafford Hundred
- Cheadle
- Chester
- Chesterfield I
- Chichester
- Chippenham I
- Chiswick
- Christchurch
- Cobham
- Coldhams Lane
- Coreys Mill
- Court House Green
- Cramlington
- Crayford
- Cromwell Road
- Crystal Palace
- Darlington I
- Dartford In
- Denton
- Didcot
- Dome Roundabout
- Dulwich
- Dunstable
- Durham
- East Filton
- East Grinstead
- East Mayne
- East Prescot Rd
- Eastleigh
- Edenthorpe
- Ellesmere Port
- Eltham
- Ely
- Emersons Green
- Exeter
- Fairfield
- Fallowfield
- Farlington
- Farnborough
- Fosse Park
- Frome
- Glen Rd
- Gloucester Quay
- Godalming
- Charlton Riverside
- Grimsby
- Hadleigh Road
- Halifax
- Hampden
- Hankeridge Farm
- Harlow
- Harrogate
- Haverhill
- Hayes
- Haywards Heath
- Hazel Grove
- Heaton
- Heaton Park
- Hedge End
- Hendon
- Hereford
- Heyford Hill
- High Wycombe
- Hoddesdon
- Horsham
- Huntingdon
- I.O.W
- Keighley
- Kempshott
- Kempston
- Kenton
- Kidderminster
- Kidlington
- Kiln Lane
- Kings Lynn
- Ladbroke Grove
- Larkfield
- Leamington
- Lee Green
- Leeds Moortown
- Leek
- Letchworth
- Lewes Rd
- Lincoln
- Liverpool (Woolton)
- Locksbottom
- London Colney
- Longwater Lane
- Loughborough
- Low Hall
- Luton
- Macclesfield
- Maidenhead
- Mansfield
- Marsh Mills
- Marshall Lake
- Meadowbank
- Melksham
- Mere Green
- Merton
- Milton Keynes
- Monks Cross
- Morecambe
- Nantwich
- New Barnet
- New Cross Gate
- Newbury
- Newbury Park
- Newcastle U Lyme
- Newhaven
- Newport
- Newton Abbot
- Nine Elms
- North Cheam
- Northfield
- Northwich
- Oldbury
- Osmaston
- Paignton
- Penzance
- Penrith
- Peterborough
- Pinhoe Road
- Pound Lane
- Preston
- Purley Way
- Queens Rd
- Redbank Rd
- Reedswood
- Rice Lane
- Richmond
- Romford
- Rugby
- Rustington
- Sale
- Salford
- Scarborough
- Scunthorpe
- Sedlescombe Road
- Sevenoaks
- Shorehead
- Shrewsbury
- Slough
- South Ruislip
- Southend
- Southport
- Spalding
- Springfield
- St Albans
- Stanmore
- Stanway
- Stirling
- Straiton
- Streatham
- Stroud
- Sudbury
- Sunderland
- Sunderland North
- Sury Basin
- Swadlincote
- Swansea
- Sydenham
- Tadley
- Talbot Heath
- Taplow
- Team Valley
- Telford
- Tewkesbury Road
- Thanet Westwoodcross
- Thetford
- Thornhill
- Torquay
- Truro
- Tunbridge Wells
- Upper Norwood
- Upton
- Urmston
- Wakefield
- Walton
- Warlingham
- Warren Heath
- Watchmoor Park
- Water Lane
- Wednesfield
- Weedon Road
- Welwyn Garden City
- West Green
- West Park Farm
- Whitechapel
- Whitehouse Farm
- Whitley Bay
- Whitstable
- Wigan
- Winchmore Hill
- Winnersh
- Winterstoke Road
- Witney
Pharmacies across the UK have been struggling for years due to government funding cuts and the increasing cost of medicine. As a result, many community pharmacies have been forced to close down.
Additionally, the pharmacy industry has faced challenges with the NHS requesting them to provide additional services, such as vaccinations, adding more strain on businesses.
Over the past decade, the pharmacy industry has suffered a loss of £1.6 billion due to the pharmacy contract of the health service struggling to keep up with inflation.
Similarly, pharmacy chain Boots has also closed several stores recently, with more closures expected.
Moreover, retailers, in general, have been grappling with rising costs as inflation drives prices higher and consumer demand remains low due to financial constraints.
According to the Insolvency Service, more companies in England and Wales have gone bankrupt in the first quarter of 2023 than at any point in the last three years.
