PharmaChoice has grown to include over 600 stores since it was founded in 1999. Originally only serving Atlantic Canada, it now has stores in nine of Canada’s provinces. Though much has changed since Calvin LeRoux, the company’s founder, started this journey, it has never strayed from its vision: family matters. Find out more about how PharmaChoice is showing how a large chain can still be personable in our latest issue.
Walmart Expanding Click and Collect
Walmart Canada will be launching its click and collect online grocery service to Toronto this week. Last summer, Ottawa saw 11 stores start using this new technology, which allows customers to place online orders for groceries and household items and to pick them up from at dedicated parking spots. Toronto will see twelve stores offer this service on Wednesday. In our time-starved city, it’s easy to see this will expand quickly.
Nature’s Touch Organic Recalled
Due to a possible Hepatitis A contamination, Nature’s Touch Organic Berry Cherry Blend has been recalled by The Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
This frozen fruit mix is sold exclusively at Costco locations in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The affected product was sold in 1.5kg bags with the best before dates up to and including March 15, 2018 (UPC code 8 73668 00179 1). Anyone who has purchased the product is urged to throw it out, or return it to the location it was purchased from.
Twelve cases of Hepatitis A have been linked to this product, three of those cases were hospitalized, says the Public Health Agency of Canada.
According to the PHAC, Hepatitis A can cause inflammation of the liver, and a wide range of other symptoms including fever, loss of appétit, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice.
Happiness genes have been allocated
The findings of a large-scale international study could explain the differences in how humans experience happiness. The results were published in the journal Nature Genetics.
For the first time in history, researchers have isolated the parts of the human genome. The study was conducted by VU Amsterdam professors Meike Bartels (Genetics and Wellbeing) and Philipp Koellinger (Genoeconomics) in over 298,000 people. As a result, the researchers found three genetic variants for happiness (mainly expressed in the central nervous system, the adrenal glands and pancreatic system), two—for symptoms of depression and 11 locations for various degrees of neuroticism.
Whole Health Pharmacy
There’s a new independent drug store brand in town. Whole Health Pharmacy Partners launched earlier this year with several stores in Southwestern Ontario. Its first president & CEO, Dean Miller, has a long career in pharmacy retail, having previously held key operational and executive roles for Loblaw’s, Remedy’s RX and Shoppers Drug Mart. He is also the past chair of the Ontario Pharmacists’ Association.
Dissatisfied with the amount of corporate control held by large chain pharmacies, Miller says, “We launched because we saw a real need, and opportunity to bring a new model of independence back to pharmacy. There are a lot of great pharmacists out there who are delivering amazing patient care within their communities, and who are committed to helping improve the profession. These are the pharmacists that we want to bring together.”
The fledgling chain expects to open 20 stores over the next few months and Whole Health Pharmacy Partners plans to establish a national partnership of like-minded pharmacists who also wish to provide the best possible professional care to their clientele independent of corporate control. The group says that hundreds of pharmacists have already expressed interest in their new model which according to their web site is “To create a personalized pharmacy experience that blends empathy with high quality health care.”
New Study on High Doses of Vitamin D
A recent press release by The Vitamin D Society based in Toronto reports on a research study that claims higher doses of vitamin D can prevent cancer. As published in the journal PLOS ONE and authored by a team from Creighton University, University of California, San Diego and GrassrootsHealth, researchers found a 67 per cent reduction in risk for all cancers in women with vitamin D levels > 100 nmol/L (40 ng/ml) compared to women with vitamin D levels < 50 nmol/L (20 ng/ml). In international units, this translates to greater than 4000 IU vitamin D levels for a 67 per cent reduction in risk compared to women with levels of 2000 IU vitamin D. The resulting conclusion was that women with higher than 100 nmol/L (40 ng/ml) vitamin D (4000 IU) levels, were associated with substantial reduction in risk of all invasive cancers combined. To obtain 4000 IU of vitamin D daily in winter months, most Canadians will take supplements to reach this large of a dose. It remains to be seen if government (Health Canada or U.S. FDA) will back the increasing evidence of scientific studies calling for higher doses of vitamin D. Currently Health Canada’s Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is just 800 IU for adults with 4000 IU being the Tolerable Upper Intake Level. These levels are based on vitamin D for skeletal health only. Dr. Reinhold Vieth, scientific advisor for the Vitamin D Society and professor at the University of Toronto, is encouraged by the results. “This analysis provides more evidence that vitamin D plays an important role for cancer, and not just bone health,” said Dr. Vieth. “More vitamin D, or more sunshine, is related to lower [chances of developing] cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis or death. Fortunately, taking advantage of the health benefits of vitamin D couldn’t be easier as it comes for free with spending time in the sun.”
Retail Trends: Phone Charging Stations
The Twenty-Teens seem to be all about the blending of inventory for retailers. Grocery stores are selling furniture; department stores are selling groceries; drug stores are selling health food and dollar stores are selling everything. How does a consumer choose which store to buy what?
Perhaps the 21st century shopper isn’t as worried about your collection of wares as they are about convenience. What if you offered your customer a convenient service while they shopped in your store?
ChargeItSpot.com was founded by CEO Douglas Baldasare who recognized a common dilemma today for many of us—the need to charge a device while not at home or in the office. ChargeItSpot comes with an app that will direct you to the nearest charging station, and what is truly nice for consumers is that the phone charging is free. Consumers can charge their devices in a secure locker for worry-free shopping. Retailers pay a fee based on the number of units providing the service and the length of time they keep them; for most stores that is about two years.
Large chain stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Urban Outfitters have tried the units and found they helped keep customers in the stores, and that they spent more while shopping. Dana Mensah, marketing team leader at Whole Foods, says, “Our customers and Team Members love ChargeItSpot! All of the lockers are regularly filled by happy people who know that their phones are safely charging while they shop. It’s been a great addition to our customer service focused business!”
Unfortunately, this service is only available in 18 U.S. states currently but the company hopes to roll-out their charging kiosks to over 1000 stores before the end of the year.
If you currently provide a fee or low-cost convenient service to your customers, IHR would like to hear about it.
What Do Millennials Want?
It’s a reality that Generation Y, aka “the Millennials,” outnumbers the traditional natural health consumers, the Baby Boomers, and like every generation before it, has shown that its needs and wants are very different. Let’s quickly review consumerism through the generations.
The parents of the baby boomers, “the silent generation” or those born from the mid-1920s to the mid-1940s created the retail industry as we know it today. During their time, self-serve stores were created and then became the industry standard. Money was very tight back then due to the Great Depression and consumers looked for discounts, sales and free goods. Do you remember when manufacturers would stuff soap boxes or other packaged goods with free dishes or towels to encourage sales? The silent generation stretched their dollars as far as they could but managed to save their money until they were able to enjoy purchasing some luxury goods, mostly flashy new appliances, cars and premium brand foods.
The baby boomers (born late 1940s to early 1960s) grew up to be the flower children and hippies, rebelling against most everything enjoyed by their parents and society in general. This generation grew up inundated with radio and TV advertising everything literally from soup to nuts, breeding a generation of hungry consumers. Many baby boomers today are caring for aging parents while also still paying for their kids’ education and know they will not likely be retiring early and are still a large consumer group. The baby boomers were the real push behind the natural health movement, rejecting their parents’ products and demanding less packaging, additives and more nutrition.
The Gen-X generation (born early 1960s to late 1970s) grew up with technology, music videos, portable music and loads of entertainment. Often the children of divorced or absent parents, Gen-Xers loathe our consumerism society, having been exposed to marketing since birth and instead of believing any messages or slogans, they see product claims as just another advertising message attempting to manipulate them into a purchase. They tend to buy via price, with product features and brand loyalty not being as important.
Millennials are well-known to be attached to their electronic devices. They have two lives in a way: one that exists in the real world, and also a virtual world where they can keep track of family and friends no matter where in the world they may be. They didn’t have to make new friends when the family had to move due to career or marital changes. Many millennials still live at home whether in school or not, or rely on parental help financially at times. One huge difference with this generation is that they often buy the same products or services and brands as their parents, and occasionally will buy premium products but generally, they perceive store and budget brands as good enough.
While a retailer may not easily engage a millennial shopper in person (how can you when they don’t ever seem to put down that phone?) it is key to engage them on social media, via in-store phone apps, through emailed or scan-code coupons and your store loyalty programs.
Millennials like to be part of a community. Make them part of your retail community and see if your sales rise.
Loblaws Expansion Creates Jobs for Canadians
Canadian supermarket chain Loblaw Companies Ltd. announced this week they are building 50 new stores and refurbishing 150 more. They believe this will create about 5000 new jobs, and potentially 20,000 jobs when including construction trades, according to their press release.
Galen G. Weston, executive chairman and president, said, “We continue to invest in our business in ways that matter for the Canadian economy and the millions of Canadians who shop with us each week. Our investment will create local jobs and bring nutrition and wellness solutions closer to home.”
Their press release did not say specifically where or when these new stores would open or be renovated other than in the coming year. This news is a repeat of a press release by Loblaw last March 2015; however it does show a continued commitment to growth in the Canadian retail economy as a whole.
Canadian Pharmacists vs. Medical Cannabis Industry
In a recent press release, the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) called for pharmacists to be more involved in the dispensing of medical marijuana. According to Phil Emberley, their Director of Professional Affairs, “Pharmacists are the safest and best equipped to provide clinical advice to patients and provide appropriate oversight. Pharmacist involvement in dispensing of medical marijuana would help identify potential problems such as drug interactions, alternative therapies, contraindications and potential addictive behavior, and provide the opportunity for patient counselling on appropriate use. As well, pharmacists have an existing infrastructure that is already in place to handle controlled substances and have a secure supply chain to limit diversion.”
The announcement was an opportunity to update their position on the dispensation of medical marijuana by not only providing patient safety and support through pharmacist involvement, but to take the lead role as a primary distributor. They supported their statements with data provided by Abacus Data and KPMG reports.
However, the Canadian Medical Cannabis Industry Association (CMCIA) issued a response to the CPhA just seven hours later. “Pharmacy may be a valuable additional option for patients in the future, but as a complement, not as a replacement to the existing, successful direct access system,” said Neil Closner, newly-elected Chair of CMCIA. “Distribution only via pharmacies would reduce access and product choice, and raise costs to patients, and could also increase the risk of diversion.”
Colette Rivet, Executive Director of CMCIA added, “We are pleased pharmacy is now recognizing the valuable role medical cannabis plays in helping patients deal with chronic conditions, particularly since they chose not to participate in the medical cannabis system when the MMPR was introduced in 2013.”
The CPhA’s announcement also prompted responses from patient advocacy groups and the current licensed producers who had concerns about patient access to the assorted varieties of medical cannabis for particular health needs, and for those patients licensed for self-production.
The CMCIA further stated they “will be reaching out to the CPhA to begin a dialogue on how pharmacists and pharmacy can work with Licensed Producers of medical cannabis, physicians, patients and other stakeholders to expand patients’ access to regulated, affordable products.”
