HEALTH

Recently, I had a brief conversation with a man I admire and respect very much, regarding the cover story of the Oct. 15 issue of DSN, “Building the ACO.”


“Eder, what’s an ACO?” the man asked.


I explained that it stands for accountable care organization; basically, it means providers from different practice settings working together to spread primary care responsibility across an integrated healthcare team. 


“You think that’s good?”


The success of Rite Aid’s Wellness store is in the experience. It’s welcoming. It’s engaging. And across various touchpoints throughout the store, it helps guide Rite Aid customers toward however it is they define “well.” That’s as much a function of design of the stores as it is the people and the products in those stores.


While the term homeopathy may remain as foreign to the American consumer as allopathy, as a relative “class” within each of the respective categories where homeopathic remedies exist, more and more shoppers are placing those homeopathic products in their baskets.

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Pharmavite’s recent launch of its Voots Veggie-Fruit Tarts may once and for all put to rest the dinner-table drama of enticing a young child to “eat their veggies.” Voots is a chewable supplement packed with a blend of 11 real fruits and vegetables. What’s more, Mom can pack that veggie-punch into her child’s lunchbox with the Voots single-serve packets. It’s a differentiated product launch in a still-growing category. Sales of vitamins are up 8.3%, to $9.1 billion, for the 52 weeks ended Sept. 29, according 
to Nielsen.

REDWOOD CITY, Ga. — Medagate on Thursday announced the first implementation of its 2.0 restricted-spend platform, which encourages eligible consumers to make healthy living choices by purchasing qualified items at the point of sale. Fred's Super Dollar stores in North Carolina and Georgia will be the first stores to implement the new capabilities. 

BOSTON — Bettie Page has come to Boston. Tatyana Designs, a Las Vegas-based retailer specializing in contemporary designs inspired by the iconic Bettie Page, opened in late October its Boston boutique — marking its tenth U.S. location. Nestled at 32 Newbury St., in the heart of the shopping jewel of Boston, the store’s neighbors include Burberry, Chanel and Cartier.


The economy continues to be the single largest influencer in the growth of the health, beauty and wellness industry. The annual inflation rate has averaged just more than 2% during the past five years. More than ever, consumers are focused on living well with less and are making every effort to save money. Manufacturers are struggling to manage the ever-increasing cost of goods sold, and retailers are under tremendous pressure to increase profits in a very competitive environment.


An often-heard remark in arguments between people is, “You’re not looking at the big picture.” But it’s often just as important to look not just at the big picture, but all the little parts that constitute it, especially if you’re the head of store operations for a major retail chain.