Health and beauty share spotlight

The Jean Coutu Group provides shoppers in three Canadian provinces with what has become a hallmark of 21st century drug store retailing.

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Combining top-notch health care with one of the industry’s most comprehensive and visually appealing beauty care offerings, the 413-store chain gives shoppers across Quebec and parts of New Foundland and Ontario aspects of both mass retailing and specialty stores.



A spokeswoman explained that the company’s extensive selection of mass market and prestige brands — many of them unique to Jean Coutu stores — are merchandised in upscale departments staffed by trained cosmeticians, helping the chain attract shoppers who would otherwise shop for these products only in upscale outlets.



At the same time, an intense focus on health and wellness make the company’s stores the go-to retailer for prescription drugs and related products.



As in the United States, the evolution of Canada’s government-funded health system in recent years has seen pharmacists take on a greater role in patient care.



Jean Coutu has been at the forefront of this shift. The Pro Doc generic drug manufacturing unit it has operated since 2007, for instance, has allowed the company to be at the heart of the national movement toward greater use of generic drugs.



Jean Coutu’s commitment to providing patients with a comprehensive healthcare offering has also helped it move into the orthotic and prosthetic devices arena through a partnership with Le Groupe Medicus Inc.



Executives said these expanded healthcare services help Jean Coutu’s pharmacies offer a wider range of services, complementing the wide array of more programs and services that they have traditionally offered.