RITE AID

Rather than take vacation for Christmas and New Year’s, the editors of DSN worked to compile a list of the top 10 trends that will shake up the business in 2014.

NEW YORK — A New York-based distribution, merchandising and analytics firm has hired a former executive from Rite Aid and Duane Reade.

L&R Distributors announced Wednesday the hiring of Mike Cirilli as VP category management and procurement. L&R distributes more than 30,000 general merchandise, health, beauty and cosmetics products, pointing more than 12,000 points of distribution across the supermarket, drug, independent and mass-merchandise channels.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is stepping up its flu shot promotions as flu activity increases.

The retail pharmacy chain said Monday that seasonal flu shots were still available at all its stores, and that people who have not received a shot this season should do so as soon as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends flu shots for everyone aged 6 months and older.

ATHENS, Ga. — A professor at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy has been named the first Rite Aid professor in community pharmacy, the school said.

Beth Phillips, who took the new role on Dec. 1, joined the college's faculty in 2007, and the school said the professorship, its newest, includes a $250,000 endowment for salary support, research and teaching assistance and traveling expenses. Of the school's other endowed professorships, one also is sponsored by Kroger.

ATLANTA — InComm, a leading prepaid product and transaction services company, on Monday announced that six health plans across Arizona and Texas will be providing over-the-counter benefits through Medagate, InComm's healthcare platform. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is providing prescriptions at no upfront cost to customers who have enrolled in the health insurance marketplaces, but have not received an ID number, the retail pharmacy chain said.

The company said that during the month of January, it would dispense a 15- to 30-day supply of many medications to customers who bring in confirmation of their enrollment until their prescription coverage details are available. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, took full effect Wednesday.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid reported a 2.9% increase in same-store sales for the month of December, the retail pharmacy chain said Friday.

For the four-week period that ended Saturday, front-end same-store sales increased by 1%, while pharmacy same-store sales increased by 4.1%, including a 1% negative effect from the introduction of new generic drugs. Meanwhile, a decrease in sales of flu shots and prescription flu drugs resulted in a 2% decrease in same-store script count.

Total sales were $2.109 billion, an increase of 2.7% over December 2012.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — A national gay-rights organization has given Walgreens top marks for its practices related to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

In its 2014 Corporate Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave the Deerfield, Ill.-based retail pharmacy chain a "perfect" score of 100. 2014 is the ninth year that Walgreens has won a perfect score.