WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Pharmacy,
the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), today unveiled a new
store design to enhance the retail customer experience with a new
assortment of healthier food, health-focused products and expanded
beauty selections paired with informational signage throughout the
store to help customers discover new offerings. Together with its
innovative digital programs, these changes represent the next
evolution of the customer experience at CVS Pharmacy.
"Pharmacy is the heart of our business and our focus on
providing care to patients and customers defines everything we do
in our stores," said Helena Foulkes,
President of CVS Pharmacy and Executive Vice President, CVS Health.
"Our new retail offerings leverage our deep expertise in health to
enhance our customers' shopping experience. The same guiding
principles that led to the removal of tobacco from our stores
extend to our commitment to deliver the most innovative health and
beauty solutions."
The new store formats and deeper focus on expanded health,
healthier food and beauty assortments are key elements of the next
phase of the front-store growth strategy, which was first
introduced in 2015. Today there are over 800 CVS Pharmacy locations
nationwide with this elevated design and assortment and over 3,400
with expanded food and beauty offerings. The latest improvements
are designed to drive growth in categories that are most closely
tied to the Company's health-focused purpose and expertise, while
delivering a shopping experience that no other online or
brick-and-mortar retailer can replicate.
"We did a lot of research to understand how to best serve our
customers as we began to reimagine our store experience and we
found that people are thinking about their health differently and
taking a more proactive approach to staying well," said
Judy Sansone, Senior Vice President,
Front Store Business and Chief Merchant. "With that in mind,
we crafted a new shopping journey, all in the name of better
health."
Evolution of Store Design
"Our strategy for our new
stores is not one-size-fits-all. We will continue to evolve the
store experience as we test and learn in order to meet the needs of
our customers in the ever-changing retail landscape," added
Foulkes. "As we identify key elements that resonate, such as
new product assortments, health services and other in-store
experiences, we will find ways to bring them to life in CVS
Pharmacy locations nationwide."
CVS Pharmacy is rolling out major changes to as many as 70 new
and existing stores this year, with plans to expand to several
hundred more in 2018. The new, health-focused formats have 100 feet
of new merchandise in health, beauty and healthier food and use a
streamlined layout to highlight themes that make shopping easier.
"Discovery zones" in key health categories take a holistic approach
to care and product selections, and customers are guided by
informational signage with guidance to make finding the right
solution easier.
Sick-Care to Self-Care
CVS Pharmacy is vastly
expanding its offerings throughout health with a broader selection
of vitamins and supplements, including offerings from specialty
brands like Irwin Naturals and New Chapter, as well as expanded
nutrition products like Vega and Naturade protein powders and
Navitas Organics Superfood Mix Ins. Assortments tied to emerging
areas like connected health, sleep/mood and immunity are
merchandised in "discovery zones" that offer holistic solutions and
easy navigation through educational displays.
Beauty with Purpose
CVS Pharmacy continues to enhance
the beauty shopping experience by adding new, "on-trend" beauty
brands like Wunder2 and Tigi Cosmetics, as well as products that
have greater skin health benefits and more natural ingredients. To
help improve customer exploration and inspiration, a new "trend
wall" has been added to 2,000 stores featuring new launches and
niche brands. A beauty discovery zone highlights on-the-go options
at checkout. This month, an exclusive Korean Beauty selection
curated by notable K-Beauty expert, Alicia
Yoon, will be available in over 2,100 locations.
Healthier Foods
Even more "better-for-you" food
options are being added, including 27 new items under the exclusive
Gold Emblem Abound™ product line. Healthier choices, including Alo
Exposed Waters, EPIC bison bars and That's It. bars will make up
approximately 50 percent of all food options found throughout the
store. Additionally, products that fit nutritional and dietary
preferences including heart healthy, good source of protein, gluten
free, sugar free, organic and non-GMO project verified, are
highlighted with shelf tags. This summer, the tags will expand into
non-food categories, making it easier for customers to make
purposeful choices throughout the store.
Making "Better" Easier with
Higher Standards
The catalyst for the evolution of the
retail stores was CVS Pharmacy's decision in 2014 to stop selling
tobacco. As part of its ongoing commitment to corporate social
responsibility, CVS Pharmacy is taking the following steps:
- Removing certain chemicals from beauty and personal care
lines: By the end of 2019, all parabens, phthalates and
formaldehyde donors in products within the CVS Health, Beauty 360,
Essence of Beauty, Promise Organic and Blade store brand product
lines will be removed.
- New standards for vitamins and supplements: CVS Pharmacy
is embarking on the development of new standards for vitamins and
supplements, with the goal of full implementation by 2019. The
standards will require third-party testing of ingredient listings
for vitamins and supplements, as well as product testing for
certain ingredients of concern.
CVS Pharmacy was also the first national retail pharmacy chain
to announce the removal of artificial trans fats from all exclusive
store brand food products. In addition, the company recently
removed all sun care products with SPF lower than 15 from its
shelves while expanding products with SPF 30/broad spectrum,
natural beauty brands and products focused on skin
health.
Redefining Personalized and Digital Convenience
In
addition to the in-store changes, the mobile experience and
ExtraCare Rewards program continue to evolve, offering more ways
for customers to order products online and pick them up with CVS
Curbside, pay seamlessly via CVS Pay in the app, and even manage
their ExtraBucks Rewards, personalized deals, and use manufacturer
coupons, all from their phone.
The new developments from CVS Pharmacy were previewed at a media
event yesterday during an interactive brand showcase in
New York City. More details,
including photos from the interactive brand event, can be found in
the CVS Health newsroom.
About CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy, the retail division
of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is America's leading retail pharmacy
with over 9,700 locations. It is the first national pharmacy to end
the sale of tobacco and the first pharmacy in the nation to receive
the Community Pharmacy accreditation from URAC, the leading health
care accreditation organization that establishes quality standards
for the health care industry. CVS Pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy
to help people on their path to better health by providing the most
accessible and personalized expertise, both in its stores and
online at CVS.com. General information about CVS Pharmacy is
available at http://www.cvshealth.com.
Press Contact
Erin Pensa
CVS Pharmacy
T: 401.770.4786
E: Erin.Pensa@CVSHealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Pharmacy