Superdrug has announced plans to open 25 new stores this year in a bid to expand its “bricks-and-mortar retail footprint,” claiming the move will “create more than 570 jobs”.

The chain said the decision forms part of its ‘Online + Offline’ platform strategy for omnichannel services, and that it is “driven by continued strong performance figures,” with the business reporting a 141.3 per cent profit increase for the 2021-22 tax year.

It appears at least some of the new stores will contain a pharmacy, with the business stating:  “The bigger and better Superdrug stores will focus on enhancing the physical shopping experience… and allowing access to a host of essential healthcare services through pharmacies and nurse clinics.”

When asked by Pharmacy Network News to confirm how many will feature a pharmacy, a spokesperson could not confirm the exact number but said the new stores “will be a mix of pharmacy and retail”. The company says that at present “close to 200 stores now contain a pharmacy” out of more than 790 stores in the UK and Ireland.

New stores were opened in Washington Gallery and Falkirk Retail Parks in February this year, while March saw the opening of a new store in Braehead billed as “the largest Superdrug in Scotland”. Stores in Manchester Trafford Centre and London Brent Cross “will soon open,” it said,” with more “in the pipeline for later this year”.

The company also announced plans to refit 70 existing stores, “ensuring the estate is modernised through a series of updates that include new shop fronts, fully recyclable signage, improved flooring and ceiling tiles made from bio-soluble mineral wool, clay and starch, energy efficient LED lighting, new floor layouts and upgraded fascia and internal signage”.

The company said the new openings and refits will be “as eco conscious as possible in everything from design to energy saving and waste management”.

Superdrug CEO Peter McNab said: “Recent years have seen seismic changes in our sector, and constantly evolving customer expectations. An investment of this scale demonstrates our resilience in the face of continuing social and economic challenges, but also our confidence and commitment to our customers and communities.”

Nigel Duxbury, the company’s property director, added: “High streets and retail parks are the beating heart of our communities and an essential part of our economy. Our investment in bricks and mortar will help us continue to stretch, shape, and deliver for our customers in the future, as well as helping transform communities into vibrant places to live, work and shop.”