Hundreds of Boots stores could be at risk of closure under a restructuring plan outlined by its American owner Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA).
More than 200 outlets have been placed under a two year review, according to Sky News.
Sources claim that decisions are yet to be made about the stores under scrutiny, but have acknowledged that a significant number are likely to be axed.
The move will most likely affect towns with several stores, as well as its most underperforming branches which are approaching the end of their lease.
It comes after WBA revealed it was undertaking a review of its Boots The Chemist estate back in April - with the business "focusing on low-performing stores and opportunities for consolidation".
Walgreens Boots Alliance said it had suffered its "most difficult quarter" in its history and warned it needed to take "decisive steps to reduce costs in the UK".
The business said it saw a 2.3% drop in like-for-like retail sales in the second quarter to February 28, while comparable pharmacy sales dropped 1.5%. Overall last year, Boots saw profits fall by more than 18%.
A spokesman at the time admitted the business was searching for "opportunities for consolidation".
It warned of a push to cut costs by £1.1bn by the 2022 financial year.
Stefano Pessina, the company’s chief executive, said: "While we are not the only company that has been impacted by the marked change in the environment, that’s not an excuse."
A loss of 200 stores would mark another blow to Britain's troubled high streets - and would equate to just under 10% of the chain's standalone UK health and beauty outlets.
It would follow further plans to axe hundreds of jobs at its head office in Nottingham.
In a statement issued alongside its second-quarter results last month, a spokesperson said: "We currently do not have a major [store closure] programme envisaged, but as you'd expect we always review underperforming stores and seek out opportunities for consolidation.
"As is natural with a business of our size, we have stores opening, closing and relocating on a regular basis, but we have had around 2,500 stores open for several years now."
Alongside cuts, Boots has just opened a brand new store in Covent Garden - a former Marks & Spencer branch that was axed last year due to crippling business rates.
The chain has signed a 20-year lease for the shop which will set it back £3.3million a year in rent.
It's part of chief executive Seb James's plan to revive the business to adapt to changing customer behaivour.
At a Retail Week conference, he previously said the business needs "radical change" to keep customers coming through its doors amid the shift to online retailers such as global giant Amazon.
"If we're going to make Boots the place you choose for beauty, we will need to make radical change. We have been behind the curve, no question," he said.
Speaking on the latest round of changes, a Boots spokesman told the Mirror reiterated wider plans for store reviews, adding it must be "realistic" about the future.
"We currently do not have a major programme envisaged, but as you'd expect we always review underperforming stores and seek out opportunities for consolidation," a statement read.
"As is natural with a business of our size, we have stores opening, closing and relocating on a regular basis, but we have had around 2,500 stores open for several years now.
"We are being realistic about the future and that we will need to be agile to adapt to the changing landscape."
