Walgreens backs recently introduced INFORM Consumers Act

Walgreens is throwing its support behind a new bill introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Schakowsky’s INFORM Consumers Act targets organized retail crime and would shed light on certain sellers by requiring online retailers to verify high-volume sellers. It complements a bill already introduced in the Senate, and received support from Alex Gourlay, president of Walgreens and co-COO of Walgreens Boots Alliance. 

“The lack of transparency and accountability in today’s digital marketplaces has contributed to the rapid rise of organized retail crime, which has become one of the top challenges facing the retail industry today,” Gourlay said. “Walgreens strongly supports Congresswoman Schakowsky’s INFORM Consumers Act, which complements the bipartisan Senate bill introduced earlier this year to require online marketplaces to verify high-volume sellers, remove incentives for retail theft and help make our communities safer. Now, more than ever, consumers deserve to know who they are buying products from online, in order to make safe and informed purchasing decisions for themselves and their families.”

Walgreens noted that a National Retail Federation survey from 2019 found that retailers reported average losses of $700,000 per $1 billion in sales over a 12-month period. The company said it believes online marketplaces should be accountable for the activity on their platforms and ensure that only legitimate goods — rather than stolen or counterfeit goods — are sold by verified sellers.