LloydsPharmacy confirms exit from community pharmacy market

Pharmacy press

LloydsPharmacy, once holding the position of the country’s second-largest community pharmacy chain has confirmed its departure from the high street. The chain confirms that all their pharmacies are now sold and four stores have closed. We have issued the following statement in response to this.

Our Chief Executive Janet Morrison said:

“The decision by Lloydspharmacy to exit the community pharmacy market, coming as it does alongside other headlines about branch closures, record losses and pharmacy sales, reflect the brutal reality in community pharmacies as financial and operational pressures continue to take their toll. This should be ringing alarm bells for Government and the NHS: their near decade-long policy to squeeze community pharmacies financially is now pushing all community pharmacy businesses to the brink. While the £645m recovery plan funding announced last week is welcome and will bring some relief to some businesses, it is not a panacea for all the issues our sector faces. Increased and sustained support and investment are also desperately needed and we will continue to press Government and the NHS to deliver this.”