Tesco has partnered with some of the UK’s leading healthcare companies as part of a new store concept that gives customers easy and convenient access health services while they shop.
Customers in the refurbished Cheshunt Extra store will soon be able to get advice, treatment and virtual GP appointments for a range of health concerns in Tesco’s first ever dedicated health zone.
The new pilot store concept brings together food, health and wellness ranges, alongside enhanced pharmacy and healthcare services, to make it easier for customers to manage all aspects of their wellbeing in one place.
Health consultations
Health appointments will take place in two new private consultation rooms, delivered in-person by pharmacists, or in person and virtually by other healthcare specialists.
The new services available to customers will include:
- Fast and convenient access to a range of Bupa’s primary healthcare services, including virtual GP appointments, weight management support and earwax removal. Competitively priced services are available to all customers, with no need for health insurance or a Bupa membership.
- Consultations with a clinician on managing menopause symptoms from online menopause clinic Stella, including advice and support around HRT.
- Appointments in partnership with Our Future Health, a collaboration between the public, charity and private sectors to build the UK’s largest health research program.
- Free advice on oral hygiene from a qualified Oral Health Educator, in partnership with global consumer healthcare company Haleon.
- Free and impartial advice from a healthcare professional on pregnancy and infant nutrition, delivered in partnership with Aptaclub.
Expanding health offer
The pilot builds on Tesco’s existing in-store pharmacy offer which serves half a million customers every week across 365 UK pharmacies located in larger Tesco stores, providing everything from flu jabs and NHS Pharmacy First services, to free blood pressure checks and free advice on cancer, heart disease and diabetes supported by Tesco health charity partners.
As part of the wider healthcare offer, further information will also be available from the health charity partners, initially focusing on heart health advice from the British Heart Foundation.
“Good health starts with good food, but it also relies on people being able to get the right support, advice and care, as early as possible to help prevent ill health and not just manage it,” said Ashwin Prasad, Chief Commercial Officer at Tesco.
“With our network of stores and pharmacies in communities all over the UK, we are uniquely placed to help make food and healthcare accessible to our customers – and reduce some pressure on the NHS too.”
Two further stores are planned to have the additional healthcare services with Hexham in Northumberland and West Durrington in West Sussex set to follow in 2025 and, if the pilot is successful, more could be rolled out across the country in future.
