In this Issue

Hannaford has been an innovator in the drive to bridge food and pharmacy. The chain’s dedication to health and wellness really gained attention in 2006 when it implemented Guiding Stars, the first storewide nutrition navigation system in the United States.

Not many retail companies would give their customers a vote on how they design their new stores. It’s just one of many ways that H-E-B works to cultivate millions of loyal consumers.

If you ask executives at Food City, it’s part of the role of a supermarket pharmacy operator to help its customers understand how healthy eating plays into overall health and wellness. It’s a responsibility they take pretty seriously.

In an effort to deliver to shoppers a whole health-focused shopping experience, Supervalu’s pharmacy and grocery teams are working closely together to develop innovative service offerings that cut across three platforms: preventive care, diabetes care and medication therapy management. The chain clearly is demonstrating its focus on being a one-stop health solution for its shoppers.

Nothing shows a retailer that its revitalization efforts are working quite like a thumbs-up from customers. For Winn-Dixie Stores, that vote of confidence came in mid-February, when its pharmacy business was among 40 U.S. companies honored as 2011 “customer service champions” by J.D. Power and Associates.

As expected, the facial anti-aging segment continues to experience overall growth as women continue their quest for the fountain of youth in a bottle.

Such brands as Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting and Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift enjoyed strong growth as beauty mavens sought to banish fine lines and wrinkles.

Among such brands as Olay, L’Oréal and Neutrogena, Bio-Oil held its ground and saw an 18% sales boost for the 12 weeks ended Jan. 23, according to SymphonyIRI Group.

Alarming statistics are as common in the healthcare world as healthcare workers themselves, but some of the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are particularly dramatic: Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, the agency said in late January, and an estimated 79 million U.S. adults — representing more than one-third of all adults in the country — have prediabetes.

The core drug store shopper is a likely consumer of cell phone and computer accessories, according to research from the Consumer Electronics Association.

CEA research showed that while both men and women are likely to select a car charger as a desired accessory, women are more likely to choose extra batteries, hands-free kits and extra battery chargers. CEA research also revealed that women are more likely to purchase wireless mice and pads, zip drives and extra cables.