Canadian pharmacy chains Jean Coutu Group, Shoppers Drug Mart and Katz Group, parent company of Rexall, express interest in buying Zellers' pharmacy customer files should Target decide to sell them

Allison Oesterle

LOS ANGELES , November 21, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – Shoppers Drug Mart Corp, the largest pharmacy chain in Canada, and Canadian pharmacy chain Jean Coutu Group, have both expressed interest in potentially purchasing the Zellers’ pharmacy customer files should Target decide to sell them, the Winnipeg Free Press reported on Nov. 18.

According to the article, the Katz Group of Companies, which operates a group of pharmacies in the United States and Canada including the Rexall pharmacy chain, has also expressed interest in potentially acquiring the patient files.

Lisa Gibson, a spokesperson for Target, said that Target is still considering what it should do with the Zellers’ pharmacy patient files during its revocation of more than 100 newly leased Zellers stores.

She also said that Target is still examining its options to determine how the Zellers’ pharmacy patients should be cared for in the interim before Target re-opens the Zellers stores in 2013.

According to Ms. Gibson, it is likely that Target will sell the patient files.

According to the article, selling the files could help offset some of the US$2.3 billion that it will spend converting the Zellers store, an amount that is roughly double the original expansion budget for locations outside the U. S.

The primary source of this article is the Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, Canada, on Nov. 18, /2011.

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