Walmart Moves Toward Becoming a One-Stop Shop for Health
BENTONVILLE, AR - Consumers always have health top of mind, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retailers are continuing to provide healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables to fuel a strong immune system, but Walmart is thinking a couple of steps ahead. The big-box retailer recently announced Walmart Insurance Services, a new program to make the retailer a one-stop shop for all of its consumers’ needs.
“Health care can be complicated. But we think quality health care should be within reach of everyone, and pricing should be transparent and affordable,” wrote Lori Flees, SVP and COO, Walmart U.S. Health & Wellness, in the release. “Our money-saving $4 generic prescription program and, more recently, Walmart Health locations are helping customers save money and live healthier.”
With this new program, Walmart is meeting the needs of the consumer looking for a blend of internal and external health services all in one location. According to Barron's, Cowen & Co. analyst Oliver Chen believes Walmart will be able to merge aspects of retail, like grocery shopping, with addressing consumers’ needs in health-related areas such as dietary restrictions and conditions like diabetes. This would create a more personalized experience for shoppers—a factor that has been shown to drive loyalty over time in the retail world.
How could this recent move drive more traffic through the fresh produce department and create another vehicle for exploring the benefits of fresh? We look forward to discovering the answer!
“We want customers to feel confident in selecting a Medicare plan that best fits their needs, budget and lifestyle,” David Sullivan, General Manager of Walmart Insurance Services, said. “And we want to be a trusted partner on their health care journey. Helping customers select the right Medicare insurance plan to meet their needs aligns with Walmart’s mission of helping people save money and live better.”
As leading retailers continue to innovate and adapt to the changing needs of shoppers, how will the brick and mortar landscape continue to evolve? Keep checking back to AndNowUKnow as we report on the latest.
