Boots ‘a fair way off’
March 7, 2016
SIGMA Pharmaceuticals ceo Mark
Hooper says he’s not concerned
about the entry of global pharmacy
giant Walgreens Boots Alliance
into the Australian market (PD Fri),
saying he believes “we’re a fair
way off any large scale entry from
offshore players”.
Sigma already has a relationship
with Boots, via an “exclusive
product partnership” (PD 12
Dec 2013) which sees the Boots
Laboratories skincare portfolio
available through Amcal, Amcal
Max and Guardian pharmacies.
Despite the pressure on pharmacy
in Australia, Hooper believes it’s
still a great business to be in,
according to a Fairfax report today.
“Sentiment in pharmacy is always
challenging because it is impacted
by regulatory changes,” he said, but
the sector is the beneficiary of the
ageing population driving demand,
as well as “a government that is
willing to support the expansion
of services in pharmacies like flu
inoculations”.
Growth in the business is likely
to come from stronger over-the-counter
brands, including Sigma’s
private and exclusive labels, as
well as “expansion into hospitals,”
Hooper was quoted as saying.
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