HEALTH

HELENA, Mont. — A chain of natural foods stores is opening its third Montana location Monday.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage announced the opening of the new store, in Helena, Mont., following stores in Billings and Missoula earlier this year. The 55-year-old Colorado-based chain offers only natural and organic products.

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — The Vitamin Shoppe will buy a Pacific Northwest-based supplement chain, the New Jersey-based company said.

The Vitamin Shoppe said it would buy Super Supplements for $50 million. Super Supplements operates 31 stores in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and the Vitamin Shoppe said the acquisition would expand its presence in the Northwest, where it already operates 17 stores. The transaction is expected to close on Dec. 31.

NEW YORK — Target has launched new products and a co-pay assistance program for customers with diabetes, the mass merchandise retailer said.

Target announced the release of new blood glucose meters and test strips. The retailer also offers products like alternative site lancets, alcohol prep pads and diabetic nutritional shakes.

The company also announced the launch of a $4 co-pay assistance program, as well as a free private-label blood glucose meter for customers who qualify for the program.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The consumer products division of British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline wants its voice heard at a Food and Drug Administration hearing scheduled for next year on a section in a 2009 law to regulate tobacco products that deals with smoking-cessation products, the company said Monday.

WASHINGTON — The Natural Products Association MarketPlace trade show will be suspended, the organization said, citing "new opportunities more strategically aligned with today's market needs."

The convention had originally been scheduled for June 2013 in Las Vegas. The Natural Products Association and New Hope Natural Media have collaborated to produce the convention since 2008.

CINCINNATI — Diabetes patients at Kroger pharmacies who have private insurance can pay $4 for blood-glucose test strips, the supermarket operator said.

Kroger said insured patients could pay a $4 co-pay for Kroger Premium test strips. People with diabetes can spend as much as $1,000 per year out of pocket on test strips alone, Kroger said.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare and TV personality Samantha Harris have teamed up to announce the launch of "Let's Fight Holiday Fat" — a new, free online guide that provides weight maintenance support for Americans trying to squeeze in healthy eating and exercise this season.

The tool, created courtesy of Alli, an FDA-approved weight-loss aid available without a prescription — is for anyone interested in overcoming the holidays and being weight-loss-ready for 2013.

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — Makers of Cold-EEZE, Prophase Labs, a leader in OTC natural cold remedies, has announced its support for the Daily News Readers' "Care to Feed the Hungry Canned Food Drive," a 30-year tradition of collecting nonperishable food donations throughout New York City.