The Boots Group
The Boots Group is a privately-held, pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer operating 3,776 stores across 11 countries under the Boots, Farmacias Benavides, and Boots Opticians brands, plus German pharmaceutical wholesale and the No7 Beauty Company portfolio, serving millions of consumers and NHS patients daily.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1849
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Boots Group does
The Boots Group is a pharmacy-led health and beauty retail business that operates 3,776 owned retail stores across 11 countries and serves millions of customers and patients daily. Its principal retail brands are Boots in the UK, Republic of Ireland, and Thailand; Farmacias Benavides in Mexico; and Boots Opticians in the UK, with additional franchise presence in the Middle East and Indonesia. The group also operates a pharmaceutical wholesale business in Germany through Alliance Healthcare Deutschland and GEHE, serving pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers nationwide from Frankfurt with modern logistics and digital healthcare services, and holds strategic minority investments in Chinese retail pharmacy (GuoDa) and pharmaceutical wholesale (Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company Limited). It manages the No7 Beauty Company portfolio of science-led consumer beauty brands, including No7, Liz Earle, Soap & Glory, Botanics, Sleek MakeUP, and Aromatherapy Associates.
The business is a hybrid direct-to-consumer and B2B healthcare retailer, monetizing through in-store retail sales of pharmacy, health, beauty, and optical products, NHS Pharmacy First clinical consultations (1.5M delivered in FY2025), prescription dispensing, and pharmaceutical wholesale distribution in Germany. The group employs 66,400+ people, is headquartered in London, and was formed on 28 August 2025 following the Sycamore Partners-led acquisition of Walgreens Boots Alliance, in partnership with Stefano Pessina and his family, separating the Boots, Benavides, Opticians, No7 Beauty Company, and German wholesale businesses as a privately-held standalone company with £19.4 billion in annual sales. Its longest-lived asset is the 176-year-old Boots brand (founded 1849 in Nottingham), and its go-to-market combines physical retail dominance in the UK with selective international expansion through owned operations, franchise partnerships, and minority equity investments.
The Boots Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Boots Group
- Legal name
- The Boots Group Limited
- Website
- https://thebootsgroup.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1849
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The Boots Group is a privately-held, pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer operating 3,776 stores across 11 countries under the Boots, Farmacias Benavides, and Boots Opticians brands, plus German pharmaceutical wholesale and the No7 Beauty Company portfolio, serving millions of consumers and NHS patients daily.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Boots Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retail Pharmacy and Health & Beauty
- NAICS
- Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)
- SIC
- Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent) (HLAFALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health & Pharmacy Omnichannel (CRAFAEAK), Variety Stores with Pharmacy / Health & Beauty Focus (CRAGAJAL)
Keywords
Where The Boots Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Boots Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Health and Beauty Retail: Retail sales through 3,776 stores globally offering pharmacy services, health products, and beauty/cosmetics products under Boots, Farmacias Benavides, and Boots Opticians brands. Includes NHS Pharmacy First consultations generating £19.4 billion in annual sales.
- Pharmaceutical Wholesale: Pharmaceutical wholesale operations in Germany through Alliance Healthcare Deutschland and GEHE brands, serving pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers nationwide with modern logistics and digital healthcare services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
The Boots Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Boots Group operates pharmacy-led health and beauty retail through 3,776 owned stores across 11 countries under the Boots, Farmacias Benavides, and Boots Opticians brands, supported by pharmaceutical wholesale distribution in Germany via Alliance Healthcare Deutschland and GEHE. It sells medicines, health and wellness products, beauty and cosmetics, optical services, and delivers clinical services including NHS Pharmacy First consultations, generating £19.4 billion in annual sales.
Product overview
The Boots Group is a pharmacy-led health and beauty retail business operating across 11 countries with 3,776 retail stores. The company operates multiple retail brands including Boots (UK, Ireland, Thailand), Farmacias Benavides (Mexico), and Boots Opticians (UK), along with pharmaceutical wholesale operations through Alliance Healthcare Deutschland and GEHE (Germany). The No7 Beauty Company manages a portfolio of science-led beauty brands including No7, Liz Earle, Soap & Glory, Botanics, Sleek MakeUP, and Aromatherapy Associates. The company serves millions of customers daily through its pharmacy, health, and beauty retail operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- No7: Science-led consumer-trusted beauty brand managed by No7 Beauty Company.
- Liz Earle
- Soap & Glory
- Botanics
- Sleek MakeUP
- Aromatherapy Associates
Products and services
- Boots retail (UK, Ireland, Thailand) Pharmacy-led health and beauty retail chain offering medicines, health services, beauty products, and personal care items across the UK, Republic of Ireland, and Thailand.
- Farmacias Benavides Retail pharmacy chain operating in Mexico, serving pharmacy and health needs as part of The Boots Group's retail presence.
- Boots Opticians Optical retail chain in the UK providing eye examinations, prescription eyewear, and optical services.
- Alliance Healthcare Deutschland and GEHE Pharmaceutical wholesale business based in Frankfurt, supporting pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers nationwide in Germany through modern logistics, digital healthcare services, and pharmacy co-operations.
- No7 Beauty Company Portfolio of science-led, consumer-trusted beauty brands including No7, Liz Earle, Soap & Glory, Botanics, Sleek MakeUP, and Aromatherapy Associates.
- NHS Pharmacy First Service Clinical consultation and treatment service delivered in Boots pharmacies in England under the NHS Pharmacy First programme, allowing patients to receive advice and treatment for specific conditions without a GP appointment.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.5M NHS Pharmacy First consultations delivered in FY2025
Companies that use The Boots Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Boots Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Boots Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- McKesson CorporationmajorWalgreens Boots Alliance completed acquisition of McKesson's 30% equity stake in the German pharmaceutical wholesale joint venture, assuming full ownership of combined GEHE and Alliance Healthcare businesses in Germany.
- GuoDaminorWalgreens Boots Alliance acquired a 40% minority stake in GuoDa, a leading retail pharmacy chain in China, expanding presence in one of the world's largest healthcare markets.
- Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company LimitedminorAlliance Boots completed acquisition of a 12% stake in Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a major Chinese pharmaceutical wholesaler.
- AmerisourceBergen (now Cencora)majorWalgreens (now The Boots Group) established strategic long-term relationship with AmerisourceBergen (Cencora) for global supply chain collaboration. In 2021, WBA completed the sale of its Alliance Healthcare businesses to Cencora.
- United Nations Global CompactminorThe Boots Group is a proud member of the United Nations Global Compact, demonstrating commitment to human rights, labour standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption.
- RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)minorPartnership for sustainable sourcing - over 89% of palm oil used in Boots-owned brands is from RSPO physically certified sources.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Boots Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Boots Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Boots Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Boots Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Boots Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
The Boots Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Boots Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Boots Group
What does The Boots Group do?
The Boots Group operates pharmacy-led health and beauty retail through 3,776 owned stores across 11 countries under the Boots, Farmacias Benavides, and Boots Opticians brands, supported by pharmaceutical wholesale distribution in Germany via Alliance Healthcare Deutschland and GEHE. It sells medicines, health and wellness products, beauty and cosmetics, optical services, and delivers clinical services including NHS Pharmacy First consultations, generating £19.4 billion in annual sales.
Is The Boots Group a public or private company?
The Boots Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was The Boots Group founded?
The Boots Group was founded in 1849. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is The Boots Group based?
The Boots Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Boots Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Health and Beauty Retail is the primary driver. The others are pharmaceutical Wholesale.
Does The Boots Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Boots Group.
What industry is The Boots Group in?
The Boots Group's product category is Retail Pharmacy and Health & Beauty. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFALAA, Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent), with a secondary code of CRAFAEAK, Health & Pharmacy Omnichannel. Its NAICS code is 45611 and its SIC code is 5912.