Safeway Redesigns Pharmacies

Safeway, Inc. (Pleasanton, Calif.), which operates 1600 supermarkets in the U.S. and Canada, is redesigning its pharmacies with the goal of making its supermarkets a “health and wellness destination for its customers, with pharmacy at the center,” reports Supermarket News.

With the goal of facilitating interaction between customers and pharmacists, the new format features lower counters, no glass partitions between customers and staff, and a door at the front of the pharmacy so pharmacists can easily access and assist customers shopping in the over-the-counter area.

Speaking at an industry event last week, Darren Singer, Safeway’s svp of pharmacy, health and wellness said, “We can make pharmacy the center of health and wellness, with concentric circles spreading out to the OTC area, and all the way out to the perimeter, with fresh produce.” Other changes include expansion of the OTC aisle from 90 to 120 feet, with lower shelving and better lighting. “We’ve essentially dropped a drugstore into the middle of our supermarket,” Singer said.