New LloydsPharmacy distribution centre opens in Northamptonshire to cater for extra online orders

A new distribution centre in Northamptonshire to cater for the thousands of extra people buying from LloydsPharmacy online became operational yesterday (Wednesday, July 1).

The warehouse, at Calvary Hill Industrial Estate in Weedon Bec, employs 37 people and provide an extended product range to customers of LloydsPharmacy.com.

More than 10 million people visited the website in the last year with demand more than doubling over the last couple of months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Charlotte Beasley, who lives in Bugbrooke, was one of the employees that was made redundant when the warehouse shut earlier in the year but she was able to secure a new role when LloydsPharmacy took it over.

“I was so disappointed when the old distribution centre closed, I really enjoyed working there," she said.

"But then I got a phone call offering me a new job working for LloydsPharmacy and I couldn’t have been happier!

"I’m so pleased to be back with my old colleagues.”

In recent weeks, the demand for face masks, hand sanitiser, respiratory devices and home beauty products has reflected the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Online sales have more than doubled since the pandemic started and over 40 per cent of online sales in May were for masks.

Charlotte met the chief executive and other members of the senior team when they visited the site last week.

Kyle Rowe, chief digital and marketing officer for McKesson UK, parent company of LloydsPharmacy, said: “It was great to meet Charlotte and the rest of the team and thank them for everything they’ve done to prepare for the launch.

"It’s all credit to them working together, wearing masks and in unusual circumstances, to get things ready in such as short space of time.

“We already had plans for expansion but the coronavirus pandemic has meant that more and more people are shopping online and we expect that trend to continue.

"We’re switching to a new platform which will make shopping online for health and wellbeing items even easier, expanding our range and moving to a new warehouse with more capacity.”