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Competition in the pharmacy sector is heating up as Walmart announces it will offer same-day prescription delivery.
The move comes at time when traditional pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens face significant challenges, including store closures and fierce competition for market share.
Walmart’s (WMT+0.23%) new delivery service is currently available in six states —Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina, and Wisconsin — with plans to expand to 49 states by January 2025, potentially reaching tens of millions of customers, the company said.
Customers can bundle prescriptions with other items like groceries for a delivery fee of $9.95 or for free with a Walmart+ membership. The service allows users to order both new prescriptions and refills directly from their local Walmart or online. Multiple delivery options are available, including same-day scheduled delivery, and upcoming on-demand options that can deliver prescriptions within hours or as quickly as 30 minutes. Medications are securely packaged, Walmart said, noting that customers can track the orders in real-time and receive confirmation upon delivery.
Kevin Host, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy at Walmart U.S., emphasized that the company’s footprint – it has 4,600 U.S. locations – and pharmacy expertise allow it to meet the diverse needs of local communities.
“Health is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” Host said. “This new offering allows us to serve customers while freeing up our pharmacies for high-touch health services.”
Walmart’s expansion into prescription puts it into direct competition with drugstore chains like CVS and Walgreens (WBA+2.39%), which also offer delivery options but have struggled lately. It could also help Walmart compete with e-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN-0.33%), which recently announced plans to open pharmacies in 20 new cities across the U.S. in 2025, expanding its same-day delivery prescription service.
Earlier this year, Walmart reported robust quarterly earnings that highlighted it was getting a big sales boost from wealthier shoppers. Still, the company in April said it planned to close all 51 of health care clinics due to a lack of profitability.