British pharmacy chain, Boots has partnered with online food delivery company, Deliveroo to enable customers to have products such as makeup, painkillers and vitamins delivered to their door, via a delivery app.

Initially, 14 stores across England and Scotland will take part in the pilot, including four in London as well as in Edinburgh and Nottingham. If successful, the chain plans to roll it out in other areas in the coming months.

WHY IT MATTERS

Through the delivery app, customers will be able to order medicines and painkillers for ailments such as coughs, colds and hay fever for home delivery.

The retailer has expressed its focus on products for parents and ill people who cannot easily leave the home.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Boots was significantly affected by the pandemic, with the chain slumping to a £258 million loss in the year to the end of August 2020, as revenues fell 11%. However, the chain has seen a continued rise in online sales during successive lockdowns, as sales of beauty products and vitamins have bounced back.

During the pandemic, the chain launched a number of digital platforms to enable customers to access their usual pharmacy services. Namely, a video pharmacy consultation service launched for people living with cancer, and a platform aimed to connect patients and pharmacists via LIVI, a shared online appointment and prescribing platform intended to relieve NHS pressure.

In October 2020, they began offering in-store COVID-19 testing service with LumiraDx.

ON THE RECORD

Paula Bobbett, director of boots.com at Boots UK, said: "We are very excited about this new partnership with Deliveroo and have carefully selected over 400 products for its launch to help our customers get the things they need, when they need them.

'It will be super handy for times when you need something urgently but can't leave the house, like if you're feeling unwell or are looking after your kids.

"Our online business continues to grow and this partnership offers our customers way to access our products quickly and easily."