WALGREENS

Bob Loeffler, NACDS chairman and chief administrative officer of H-E-B, reflects on his time as chairman and shares his insights on the issues facing retail pharmacy today and tomorrow.

DSN: Last year, you emphasized the “new normal,” which seemed to refer to the need to proactively position the benefits of retail pharmacy. How has the “new normal” played out?

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens is helping to promote Earth Day 2012 with the offer of a 20% discount on select beauty, personal care items and other grocery and household needs on Walgreens.com with the code 20NATURAL now through Sunday.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Once the season starts, nobody really remembers the number of stolen bases nabbed by Gregor Blanco (13) or the number of batters who could neither put a Francisco Liriano pitch into play nor tease out a walk (33). But ask the fans how many balls their favorite player knocked out of the park through spring training, chances are they'll be able to tell you.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Hispanics represent one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the United States, so naturally, it would behoove retailers to pay heed to this growing trend.

(THE NEWS: Hispanic consumers' buying power to grow 50% by 2015. For the complete story, click here.)

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday donated 375,000 doses of seasonal flu vaccine to Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Lao PDR health officials have designated the 375,000 doses of donated flu vaccine for people at high risk of flu complications in that country, including pregnant women, seniors and people with such chronic health conditions as heart and lung disease. The Walgreens donation was the result of a longstanding collaboration between the Lao MOH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday named Reuben Slone as SVP supply chain management, where he will have leadership responsibility for distribution, transportation, systems integration and engineering, Lean and Six Sigma supply chain initiatives, and community outreach.

Slone will join Walgreens May 16 and will report to Walgreens president of community management Mark Wagner.

Walgreens’ success with fresh foods has left the retailer hungry for more. In its flagship Chicago store, Walgreens has pumped up its fresh and prepared departments with a fully stocked sushi bar, grab-and-go deli offerings, self-serve yogurt, a juice bar, and fresh baked goods and confections from well-known local sources.

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Two weeks before the Food and Drug Administration met on expanding the switch paradigm, attendees of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s Annual Executive Conference discussed how over-the-counter medicines can help shape health care as part of a panel featuring Joe Magnacca, Walgreens president of daily living products and solutions.