RETAIL NEWS

The news that Walgreens is to scrap its $9.4 billion merger with Rite Aid is unsurprising. The glacial pace of the Federal Trade Commission investigation and increasing signals that the federal government would disallow the merger have forced a rethink.

In some ways, the process so far has been a colossal waste of resources and effort. Walgreens has to pay out a $325 million termination fee to Rite Aid, and all parties — including Fred's, which was due to acquire some Rite Aid stores — have invested time and money with very little to show for it.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance Thursday morning announced a new Rite Aid deal, effectively scuttling its proposal to acquire the Camp Hill, Pa.-based chain and surrendering the $325 million termination fee with respect to the old merger agreement. The divestiture agreement with Fred's Pharmacy is terminated.

CLICHY, France — L’Oréal is officially selling The Body Shop to a Brazilian cosmetics giant. The company on Wednesday announced that it had signed a sale agreement with Natura Cosmeticos to purchase the retail chain. The two companies entered exclusive talks in early June, and L’Oréal said it had signed the deal following advice from its Works Council.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and LabCorp on Wednesday announced a collaboration through which LabCorp will develop and operate patient service centers within select Walgreens stores. The centers, which will be co-branded “LabCorp at Walgreens,” will offer LabCorp patient services in a secure, comfortable environment for specimen collection, located near the pharmacy area inside the store.

CALGARY, Alberta — London Drugs on Monday opened a the first LDEXPRESS here, a "grab-and-go" retail store with 4,000 square feet of selling space that includes a full-service pharmacy, two customer service specialist desks and full-service ship-to-store pick up for everything available through the company's ecommerce site.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — To assist in the national crisis concerning opioid overdoses, Hy-Vee and CHI Health announced Tuesday that naloxone is now available without a prescription at Hy-Vee pharmacies in Nebraska, and will soon be available at CHI Health pharmacies. Nebraska marks the fifth state in Hy-Vee’s eight-state region where it is offering the medication without a prescription.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the July 7 deadline for the Federal Trade Commission’s decision on the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger gets closer, Fred’s Pharmacy is taking action to protect itself as the deadline for the Federal Trade Commission’s decision on Walgreens Boot Alliance’s proposed acquisition of Rite Aid merger draws closer.