Why Pharmacy Customers Prefer Supermarkets Over Drug Stores

 The retail pharmacy landscape in the United States has undergone significant changes, with supermarkets increasingly gaining favor over traditional drug stores. In 2025, the global retail pharmacy market is valued at $1,938 billion, projected to reach $3,219 billion by 2034 at a CAGR of 5.8%. However, within this expansive market, supermarkets like Wegmans, Publix, and Kroger are outpacing chain drug stores such as CVS and Walgreens in customer satisfaction and preference, as evidenced by the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Pharmacy Study, which reports supermarket pharmacies scoring 715 points compared to chain drug stores’ 643. This shift is driven by convenience, competitive pricing, superior customer experience, and innovative services. This post explores the reasons pharmacy customers prefer supermarkets over drug stores, supported by data visualizations, and credible references. 

Convenience: The One-Stop Shopping Advantage

Supermarkets offer a seamless one-stop shopping experience, allowing customers to fill prescriptions while purchasing groceries, household goods, and personal care items. According to the Acosta Group’s 2023 Drug Store Channel Shopper Insights Study, 59% of drug store shoppers value convenience, but supermarkets excel by integrating pharmacy services into a broader shopping ecosystem. For instance, 81% of supermarket pharmacy customers cite convenient location as a primary reason for their choice, with many living within five miles of a store.

• Cross-Shopping Benefits: Supermarkets leverage cross-shopping, where pharmacy customers also buy groceries, increasing customer lifetime value. Albertsons reports that cross-shoppers visit stores four times more often and spend significantly more on groceries. This synergy is less pronounced in drug stores, where the focus remains on pharmacy and health/beauty products.

• Store Layout and Accessibility: Supermarkets like Hy-Vee position pharmacies near dietitians and health clinics, creating a holistic health destination. In contrast, drug stores often prioritize pharmacy counters, with limited non-pharmacy offerings, reducing their appeal for multi-purpose trips.

Graph 1: Customer Reasons for Choosing Pharmacy Type (2025)

Description: This bar graph compares the top reasons customers choose supermarkets vs. drug stores, based on J.D. Power 2025 data.

Competitive Pricing and Generic Drug Savings

Supermarkets often offer lower prices on generic drugs, a critical factor given that 86% of consumers are open to generics to save money. Since 2006, mass retailers and supermarkets like Walmart have sold commonly prescribed generics at $4 for a 30-day supply, undercutting independent pharmacies and chain drug stores.

• Price Competition: Supermarkets benefit from economies of scale, allowing them to absorb losses on generics to drive store traffic. For example, Walmart’s $4 generic program has pressured drug stores, which face higher reimbursement challenges from pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

• Loyalty Programs: Supermarkets like Kroger offer loyalty programs with discounts on prescriptions and groceries, enhancing affordability. In contrast, drug store loyalty programs focus primarily on pharmacy-related rewards, limiting their appeal.

Graph 2: Generic Drug Price Comparison by Pharmacy Type (2025)

Description: This bar graph compares average prices for a 30-day supply of common generic drugs across pharmacy types. Source: Commonwealth Fund, 2021.

Superior Customer Experience and Trust

Supermarkets outperform drug stores in customer satisfaction, with Wegmans (764) and Publix (760) ranking highest among brick-and-mortar pharmacies in the J.D. Power 2025 study, compared to chain drug stores’ average of 643. Key drivers include:

• Sufficient Staffing: Supermarkets have better staffing levels, reducing wait times. J.D. Power notes that supermarkets excel in having sufficient staff and filling prescriptions quickly. Drug stores, however, face chronic staffing shortages, with pharmacists often handling multiple roles, leading to long lines and frustration.

• Trust in Pharmacists: 81% of consumers trust pharmacists to diagnose minor illnesses and prescribe medications, a trust supermarkets capitalize on through personalized service. Drug stores, while trusted for pharmacy needs (64%), lag in overall experience due to understaffing.

• Digital Engagement: Supermarkets like Giant offer apps for prescription management, vaccine scheduling, and delivery, aligning with the 67% of consumers who prefer digital or mail-order options for cost savings. Drug stores are catching up but face challenges with app adoption.

Graph 3: Customer Satisfaction Scores by Pharmacy Type (2025)

Description: This line graph shows J.D. Power satisfaction scores for pharmacy types from 2023 to 2025.

Innovative Health and Wellness Services

Supermarkets are evolving into health destinations, integrating pharmacies with dietitian services, clinics, and wellness programs. The Food Marketing Institute’s 2021 report notes that 84% of grocers have health and well-being strategies, up from 49% in 2019.

• Food as Medicine: Supermarkets like Hy-Vee combine pharmacy services with nutrition counseling, addressing chronic conditions like diabetes through dietary changes. Drug stores, while expanding services like CVS’s MinuteClinic, focus less on integrative health.

• Vaccinations and Screenings: Supermarkets offer flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and health screenings (e.g., Giant’s flu/strep testing), with 62% of adults preferring pharmacies for vaccinations. This broadens their appeal compared to drug stores’ narrower focus.

• Community Engagement: Supermarkets partner with community organizations for health education, such as Giant’s heart health classes with UPMC, fostering loyalty that drug stores struggle to match due to their transactional model.

Challenges for Drug Stores

Drug stores face systemic challenges that drive customers to supermarkets:

• Staffing Shortages: Pharmacists at chains like Rite Aid report high stress and understaffing, leading to wait times and errors. Supermarkets, with larger staff pools, mitigate this issue.

• PBM Pressures: PBMs impose low reimbursements and direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees, squeezing drug store margins. Supermarkets offset losses through grocery sales.

• Store Closures: CVS and Walgreens plan to close 1,100 stores by 2024, reducing accessibility, while supermarkets expand pharmacy footprints.

Opportunities for Supermarkets

Supermarkets can further capitalize on their advantages by:

• Enhancing Digital Tools: Expanding apps for prescription refills and telehealth, as 36% of consumers discuss affordability with pharmacists digitally.

• Leveraging Loyalty Programs: Offering cross-category discounts to retain the 3% of customers unlikely to switch pharmacies.

• Focusing on Health Equity: Tailoring services to diverse populations, as 58% of Americans see pharmacies as primary care sites.

Conclusion

Pharmacy customers prefer supermarkets over drug stores due to their convenience as one-stop shops, competitive pricing on generics, superior customer experience, and innovative health services. Supermarkets like Wegmans and Publix lead in satisfaction (715 vs. 643 for drug stores), leveraging staffing, trust, and digital tools. As drug stores face staffing and PBM challenges, supermarkets are poised to dominate the pharmacy market, projected to grow to $3,219 billion by 2034. Check sources like J.D. Power or Drug Store News for updates, or contact me for a deeper analysis.

Keywords

• Supermarket pharmacies

• Drug store pharmacies

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• Convenience shopping

• Generic drug pricing

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• Health and wellness services

• Pharmacy loyalty programs

• AI in pharmacies

• Retail pharmacy trends

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References

1. J.D. Power. (2025). 2025 U.S. Pharmacy Study. 

2. Commonwealth Fund. (2021). Competition, Consolidation, and Evolution in the Pharmacy Market. 

3. Drug Store News. (2024). Stepping Up: Supermarket Pharmacy Report. 

4. Custom Market Insights. (2025). Global Retail Pharmacy Market Size, Trends, Share 2025-2034.