Morrisons begins selling pharmacy estate to focus on grocery core

Morrisons has begun selling off portions of its in-store pharmacy estate as part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations and focus on its core grocery business. The company is seeking buyers for dozens of pharmacies on a branch-by-branch basis rather than through a single portfolio sale. These locations are expected to continue operating within Morrisons stores but will transition to independent ownership and new branding.

The divestment follows a review indicating that several branches would be better suited as independent community pharmacies. This move is part of a broader turnaround programme led by chief executive Rami Baitiéh, which includes cost-cutting measures and the closure of various non-core services such as cafés, florists, and certain fresh food counters.

Under this optimisation programme, Morrisons has reported savings of £995m to date. The retailer also reported its fifteenth consecutive quarter of growth, with like-for-like sales increasing by 3.2 per cent in the 13 weeks ending July 26, bringing total sales to £4.1bn.