Boots to temporarily shut 60 stores and redeploy pharmacists

The health and beauty retailer is closing the stores across its 2,400-strong store estate that are the least busy, with pharmacists from affected stores to be moved to busier branches.

It said the move was being made to make sure there are enough colleagues to play their “vital roles” where they were most needed.

Boots will be sending non-pharmacy colleagues that work in affected stores home, which includes 25 London stores and other stores in city and shopping centres, as well as airports and train stations throughout the UK that have been impacted by reduced footfall.

Boots said that these locations are usually within a few minutes’ walk from the next closest Boots pharmacy.

The retailer said: “All over the country, we are working tirelessly to support the NHS and to provide our customers with the advice, healthcare, medicine and products that they need.

“We are committed to being there for the people that need us and we will not leave a community without a pharmacy.

“We would like to thank our colleagues for their work and our customers for their support and generosity.

“Customers will be able locate their nearest stores by visiting Boots.com.”

The retailer has also launched a series of product bundles to allow shoppers to find all the items they need from Boots promptly and without having to browse.

These include the ‘Baby Essentials Bundle’, which costs £30 and includes items such as talc, nappy cream and cotton wool pads, and a ‘Toiletries Essentials Bundle’ that costs £30 and includes items such as toothpaste, deodorant and hand cream.