Top Retailers

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark is gearing up for flu season and will leverage both its CVS/pharmacy locations and MinuteClinic sites to provide flu shots for patients every day, including evenings and weekends, and will offer direct medical billing to many national and regional health plans that will cover all or part of the cost of a flu shot.

WASHINGTON — Lowering the maximum corporate tax rate could allow CVS Caremark to accelerate investments in U.S. jobs, technology and infrastructure — all of which could ultimately help lower healthcare costs and bolster the economy. That was a key message that CVS Caremark president and CEO Larry Merlo had for the Senate Finance Committee during a recent hearing.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid’s same-store sales increased by 1.9% in July, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

During the four-week period ended July 23, comp sales jumped 3.1% on the front end and 1.4% in the pharmacy, including a 151 basis point reduction resulting from introduction of new generic drugs. Prescription counts decreased by 0.4%. Total sales during the four-week period were about $1.92 billion, a 1.6% increase over July 2010.

WOONSOCKET, R.I., and DETROIT — Henry Ford Health System is working to increase its capacity to serve patients in metropolitan Detroit through a new collaborative effort with CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic.

MinuteClinic has 10 walk-in clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Southeast Michigan and is exploring additional locations in the Detroit metropolitan area.

BOSTON — CVS Caremark is welcoming thousands of delegates to the 2011 National Urban League Conference as a title sponsor of the event that is taking place in Boston this week.

CHICAGO — CVS Caremark, through its All Kids Can program, has partnered with Easter Seals over the past six years to support children at risk of autism, developmental delays or disabilities. CVS Caremark is continuing its support by investing in Easter Seals' Make the First Five Count initiative to help assure children receive critical early intervention services.

AVON, Conn. — Rite Aid chairman Mary Sammons has been appointed to Magellan Health Services’ board of directors, Magellan said.

The addition of Sammons increases the number of members on Magellan’s board to nine. Sammons began at Rite Aid as president and COO in 1999, becoming CEO in 2003 and chairman in 2007. The current president and CEO is John Standley.

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Supervalu banner Shaw's has implemented the Nutrition iQ program in its stores.

The Nutrition iQ program, which was developed and implemented in collaboration with dietitians from Joslin Clinic, features color-coded icons on shelf tags and signs that serve as at-a-glance cues to help shoppers identify and find healthy food options. The program arrives in stores this week and will be accompanied by an advertising and promotions campaign to educate consumers.