London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Lloyds Pharmacy to close all Sainsbury's branches putting 2,000 jobs at risk

Lloyds Pharmacy to close all Sainsbury's branches putting 2,000 jobs at risk

The move comes in response to charging market conditions, the company said.

Lloyds Pharmacy is to pull out of 237 in-store Sainsbury's branches, potentially putting more than 2,000 jobs at risk and exposing the financial pressure on UK pharmacies at the height of the NHS crisis.

Lloyds Pharmacy, which bought Sainsbury's 280-strong pharmacy network in 2015 in a deal worth £125m, said it would close the branches in the course of the year "in response to changing market conditions".

Individual branches will be put up for sale and the company said it was "working with colleagues potentially affected by the changes and has underlined its commitment to support them through the process". It did not say how many roles could be affected.

When its parent company Celesio bought the Sainsbury's pharmacy network, around 2,500 staff transferred to its employment.

Kevin Birch, chief executive of Lloyds Pharmacy, said: "This decision has not been an easy one and we understand that our patients and customers may have questions about how the change will affect them.

"We would like to thank them for their continued support and assure them that we are committed to providing a smooth transition over the coming months."

Lloyds Pharmacy operates about 10% of UK pharmacies but a number of its branches have been sold in recent months.

Its supermarket sites may be attractive to potential buyers and Boots, the UK's biggest pharmacy with 2,200 stores, is expected to examine sites in areas where it is under-represented. Given its scale, however, any wholesale purchase could face objections from regulators.

The Lloyds Pharmacy sale underlines the financial squeeze being felt by pharmacists even as ministers call on its resources to relieve pressure on NHS services.

The Department of Health wants pharmacists to expand their services to take some of the pressure off healthcare settings. During the pandemic, pharmacists were a crucial element of the vaccination programme.

The industry has argued that the latest pharmacy contract represents a real-terms cut in income because of the impact of inflation.


An industry group warned that the move "means significant reductions in access to a pharmacy for patients"

Figures published this month showed the industry had lost £1.6bn as a consequence of inflation since 2016, a trend the industry says threatens the future of thousands of community pharmacies.

The Pharmacists Defence Association said the Sainsbury's closures could adversely affect patients.

"We have seen many disposals of Lloyds Pharmacy branches over recent months and we know more may occur, however for every disposal there has been a buyer, therefore patients and communities have seen no reduction in availability, the pharmacy network has not lost capacity and there were no job losses," Mark Pitt, its assistant general secretary, said.

"This situation is different and means significant reductions in access to a pharmacy for patients and we expect those who represent communities to be concerned about the loss of a key part of their local NHS service.

"Forward-thinking governments around the UK are seeking to make greater use of pharmacies as the most accessible contact point in the NHS, to reduce pressure on other parts of the healthcare system, so there should be greater community pharmacy capacity, not less."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×