Tesco makes new healthcare services available to customers while they shop

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 to even more high-quality health services – all 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.

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. 

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. Through this partnership with Bupa, the UK’s leading healthcare provider, 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 Stella, the online menopause clinic, 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 programme. The programme is bringing together millions of volunteers to help prevent, detect and treat diseases. Participants also have the opportunity to learn more about their own health.
• Free advice on oral hygiene from a qualified Oral Health Educator, in partnership with global consumer healthcare company Haleon, which owns oral health brands like Sensodyne, Corsodyl and Aquafresh.
• Free and impartial advice from a healthcare professional on pregnancy and infant nutrition, delivered in partnership with Aptaclub.

This 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.

Ashwin Prasad, Chief Commercial Officer at Tesco, said: “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. 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.”

“Our new pilot means customers visiting our Cheshunt Extra store – and other stores in coming months – can now get advice from one of our pharmacists or specialist partners, book a GP appointment for a time that suits them, and pick up healthy food, prescriptions and nutrition supplements, all without making an extra trip. We’ll be testing, learning and listening to feedback to understand what customers think and what further changes we can make to help them look after themselves and their families.”

For more information, please see here.

ENDS

Notes

• Bupa - Get easy access to pay-as-you-go private healthcare services from Bupa, with no need for health insurance or Bupa membership. Services include weight management, ear wax removal and virtual GP appointments.
• Stella - Access personalised menopause care and treatment with Stella, an online clinic for perimenopause and menopause support. Complete a free online assessment at onstella.com/tesco to get started​.
• Our Future Health - Our Future Health is the UK’s largest health research programme for adults. Those taking part will support new discoveries that will help everyone live longer and healthier lives. There is also the chance for participants to learn more about their own health, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Join the research programme here
• Haleon - Book a free session at the Oral Health Hub and get expert advice on how to take care of the whole family’s dental health. Book a session here
• Aptaclub from Danone – For any questions about pregnancy, childbirth or feeding little ones? Talk to a healthcare professional in private for support at every step of the parenting journey. Book an appointment here
• Tesco Health Charity Partnership - The ‘Helping you to live healthier’ partnership between Tesco, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK is built on a simple belief – that Every Little Help can make a big difference. Working with the UK’s leading health charities, it is a unique partnership launched in 2018, that has brought together the skills and expertise of the charity partners to help tackle the biggest health challenges facing the UK - tescoplc.com/sustainability/health/health-charity-partnership