Category: Priceline Pharmacy

Health checks from the past two years shows that Australians are improving on key health metrics that were experiencing declines during COVID lockdowns.

The medical grade self-service stations are free to use and measure blood pressure, heart rate, height and weight for body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage. They also assess diabetes risk, perceived stress levels and smoking status, all within five minutes.

Priceline Pharmacy Retail Director Richard Pearson said: “Priceline Pharmacy believes health care should be accessible for all Australians. Our 310 health stations are in stores across every state and territory, from major cities to regional and remote towns. They’ve provided 1.2 million Australians important insights about their health and health risks, all in the time it takes for a script to be filled.”

The data provided by repeat users of Priceline health stations provide valuable insights into the health of the nation. Over the last two years* repeat users demonstrated a strong bounce back from the impact of COVID lockdowns:

• Users with high blood pressure (140/90mmHg or higher) decreased by 18%
• Users with high body fat percentage (risk level varies by age and gender) decreased by 6.4%
• Users with high BMI (BMI 30-35) decreased by 1.4%
• The number of smokers decreased by 9.1%
• Users achieved a net weight reduction of 12,471 kg.

During COVID lockdowns, all key longitudinal health risks had increased by the end of 2020.

Other top findings from Priceline health station data over the past two years* include:

• Amongst both women and men, the highest proportion of health station users were in the 25-34 age bracket
• Australian men, who represent 47% of users, are less healthy than Australian women across a range of key measures including high blood pressure (17% compared to 13%), high BMI (26% compared to 23%), high body fat percentage (55% compared to 32%), smoking prevalence (19% compared to 15%) and diabetes prevalence (6% compared to 4%)
• 65% on men are classified as either overweight or obese. This is 49% for women.
• Women are almost twice as likely to report high perceived stress levels compared to men.

*Longitudinal measurement of repeat Priceline health station users between 1 October 2021 and 30 September 2023.

The team has opened a new store down the road from its original location, boasting a refreshed store layout, new product ranges and a SiSU Health Station.

Priceline Pharmacy as a brand was established in 2002 when pharmacists Andrew Rewell, Jeff Thom and Karen Dougall partnered with retail chain Priceline to leverage its retail expertise into a pharmacy model.

Since then, Priceline’s store network has grown to more than 470 stores nation-wide, including over 390 pharmacies.

Cathi Scarce, Priceline Pharmacy General Manager – Customer Operations said, “The original opening of Priceline Pharmacy Pakenham was pivotal for both the Priceline brand and the pharmacy landscape. Combining an established dispensary with a strong front-of-shop retail offering was the foundation for the Australian pharmacy model we know today.”  

“Thanks to the support of our Franchise Partners, and our ongoing commitment to provide real, classic care to Australians when it comes to their healthcare needs, Priceline Pharmacy has become one of the most recognised healthcare retailers in the country.”

Pakenham Franchise Partner Jeff Thom said he felt a sense of pride and achievement reflecting on the big milestone, “It’s incredible to see how established the Priceline brand and our pharmacy has become over the last 21 years. Many of our customers have been with us for that time. People always ask if we’re happy we made the leap to Priceline…absolutely!” he said.

The celebrations spanned four days, kicking off on Thursday with a store visit from Priceline Ambassador Chrissie Swan, followed by a family fun day on Saturday including face painting, street entertainers, a petting zoo, in-store offers, raffles, mini makeovers and goodie bags for customers. The store event was amplified through letterbox drops, local press, and digital and social marketing support.