Boots the Chemists
 |
|
|
Formerly called
|
M & J Boot, Herbalists |
|---|---|
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry |
Pharmaceuticals Healthcare Beauty Photography |
| Founded | 1849, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
| Founder | John Boot |
| Headquarters | Beeston, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
|
Area served
|
United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland |
|
Key people
|
Elizabeth Fagan, managing director, Boots UK and Ireland, from July 2016 |
| Brands |
No. 7 , natural collection and Seventeen – Makeup Soltan – Sun cream Almus – Generic drugs |
|
Number of employees
|
70,000 (UK) 1,900 (Ireland) |
| Parent |
Walgreens Boots Alliance (2014–present) |
| Subsidiaries | Boots Opticians |
| Website | boots-uk |
Boots UK Limited (formerly Boots the Chemists Limited), trading as Boots, is a pharmacy chain in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with outlets in most high streets, shopping centres and airport terminals. The company's former parent, The Boots Company Plc, merged with Alliance UniChem in 2006 to form Alliance Boots. In 2007, Alliance Boots was bought by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Stefano Pessina, taking the company private, and moving its headquarters to Switzerland, the first ever FTSE 100 company bought by a private equity firm. In 2012, Walgreens bought a 45% stake in Alliance Boots, with the option to buy the rest within three years. It exercised this option in 2014, and as a result Boots became a subsidiary of the new company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, on 31 December 2014.
The company operates over 2,500 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland ranging from local pharmacies to large health and beauty stores. Their stores are primarily located on the high streets and in shopping centres. It sells many health and beauty products, and also provides optician and hearing care services within stores and as standalone practices. Boots also operates a retail website and runs a loyalty card programme branded as the Boots Advantage Card.
Boots was established in 1849, by John Boot. After his father's death in 1860, Jesse Boot, aged 10, helped his mother run the family's herbal medicine shop in Nottingham, which was incorporated as Boot and Co. Ltd. in 1883, becoming Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd. in 1888. In 1920, Jesse Boot sold the company to the American United Drug Company. However, because of deteriorating economic circumstances in North America Boots was sold back into British hands in 1933. The grandson of the founder, John Boot, who inherited the title Baron Trent from his father, headed the company. The Boots Pure Drug Company name was changed to The Boots Company Limited in 1971.
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