Beauty chain Boots has opened its first 'store of the future' just days after stepping up its war on waste by scrapping plastic bags from 52 branches.
The pharmacy chain today welcomed shoppers into its new Covent Garden London branch, which features 300 brands, two beauty studios and even rehydration points.
The first-of-its-kind store also includes eco-friendly sanitary protection lines, CBD products and a new meal deal variety that will no longer stock high sugar snacks and energy drinks.
In its pharmacy, there will be express pickup lanes and customer lockers while the store promises extra advice and consultation zones for customers.
As well as extra space, they'll be more healthcare options, with a UTI Test & Treat room which allows pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics without the need to see a doctor. A new Skin Scanning Service will also mark the first of its kind in the UK and will help people understand and treat skin conditions.
The store, which opened at 11am on Thursday 27 June, will create 130 new jobs within the 28,524 square foot branch which replaces a Marks & Spencer outlet that closed last year due to soaring business rates.
It follows the chain's immediate plans to axe plastic bags from dozens of stores this week - with the new concept store offering unbleached paper bags instead.
The new bags will initially be available in 53 of its 2,485 stores, with all of Boots' outlets using paper by early 2020.
The bags will cost 5p, 7p and 10p - the current plastic ones come in two 5p and 10p sizes.
The store's revamp has been spearheaded by Boots boss Sebastian James who wants to reinvent the chain.
"Our new Covent Garden store starts a journey of reinventing Boots for the future," James explained.
"The store is full of exciting beauty brands, ideas for living well and services to help you get better, all with the great care that Boots colleagues give. We will learn what people love and want from this shop and this will help us shape a blueprint for our whole 2,500 store estate."
The model replicates failed department store Debenhams which opened its first gin bar last year in last ditch efforts to save the business.
The chain's boss, Sergio Bucher, said the Watford branch would be the "department store of the future", featuring blow dry stations and a gin-and-tonic seating area.
At the pre-launch event, Bucher said the new tricks were being introduced to try to "make shopping fun again".
