The name change comes after a period of rapid growth for the distance-selling pharmacy.
Echo was acquired by McKesson UK – Lloydspharmacy’s parent company – in June 2019, with around 30,000 nominated patients. Today (July 6), more than 500,000 patients use the app to manage their repeat prescriptions, the multiple said in a statement.
Last year, a new fulfilment centre was built to manage the increase in demand for online services during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, revenue grew 800% in 2020 compared to 2019, with the number of employees increasing by 113%, Lloydspharmacy said.
It also added a click-and-collect service to the app, allowing users to decide whether to have their medicines delivered for free to their home or pick up their prescription from one of Lloydspharmacy’s participating branches.
Patients are now also able to buy selected over-the-counter items and get them delivered for free along with their medicines, the multiple explained.
It also trialled a same-day delivery service with Royal Mail, which Lloydspharmacy told C+D it is now reviewing the results of and deciding next steps.
Explaining the reasons behind the name change, Benoit Machefer, CEO at Lloydsdirect, said the company does not “want to make people choose between online and their local pharmacy, but instead give them the best of both”.
“We hope the name change will help strengthen our message – it’s not community pharmacy or online. It’s both – accessed when and how you need them.”
