Walgreen inks Boots deal

Boots Opticians is set to become a part of America's largest pharmacy chain after Walgreen agreed a partial buyout of Alliance Boots last week. The deal represents Walgreen's entry into both international markets and optics but far-reaching changes to the Boots Opticians business seem unlikely, as Joe Ayling reports

DONE DEAL: Boots' Stefano Pessina (left) with Gregory Wasson, president and CEO of Walgreen

Walgreen's $6.7bn (£4.3bn) investment in Alliance Boots makes the US company a major player in the optical world. It gives Walgreen a 45 per cent holding in Boots and a share in the company's 625 optical practices, of which around 185 operate on a franchise basis.