The Walgreens store at State and Randolph Streets in Chicago is pictured on Aug. 6, 2014.
Illinois shoppers who use Instacart will now be able to order items from Walgreens, the retail pharmacy chain announced Tuesday.
Walgreens launched a partnership with Instacart in Illinois on Tuesday, and plans to roll out the service nationwide to nearly 8,000 of its stores in coming weeks. Consumers will be able to order over-the-counter medications and health, wellness, beauty, personal care and household products, with delivery in as fast as an hour.
Not all items sold at Walgreens will be immediately available over Instacart, but more are expected to be added over time. Prescription medications will not be available over Instacart.
This is not Deerfield-based Walgreens’ first foray into delivery. It already had delivery partnerships with DoorDash and Postmates.
In recent years, Walgreens has partnered with a number of other companies, including Kroger, Sprint and VillageMD, in an effort to give customers more reasons to shop at its stores. The partnerships have been a way for Walgreens to try to adapt to changing consumer habits and deal with financial woes related to medication reimbursement.
Walgreens has been working to cut costs by $2 billion a year by 2022, and announced plans more than a year ago to shut many U.S. stores. As of October, it had closed more than 200.
Alden Estates of Northmoor, Chicago
Linda Fitzgerald, a resident of Alden Estates of Northmoor, right, receives a COVID-19 vaccination from pharmacy lead Anneliese Szutenbach at the nursing home on Jan. 8 in Chicago.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. makes a fist after Dr. Kiran Chekka, right, of Roseland Community Hospital injected him with the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the parking lot of Roseland Community Hospital on Jan. 8.
Alden Estates of Northmoor, Chicago
Robin Meier, a resident at Alden Estates of Northmoor, receives a COVID-19 vaccination from pharmacy lead Anneliese Szutenbach at the nursing home on Jan. 8 in Chicago.
Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care, North Riverside
Staff member Pam Domdey helps a senior Dino Franceschina keep warm as he waits to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care nursing home in North Riverside on Jan. 12.
Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care, North Riverside
A COVID-19 vaccine is prepped for a senior citizen at Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care nursing home in North Riverside on Jan. 12.
Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care, North Riverside
Dino Franceschina receives a COVID-19 vaccine at Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care in North Riverside on Jan. 12.
Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care, North Riverside
Betty Hermanek winces as she receives her COVID-19 vaccine at the Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care in North Riverside, Tuesday, Jan. 12.
Luther Oaks, Bloomington
Decatur Walgreens pharmacist Kim Crawford mixes the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine before it is injected into the arms of Luther Oaks staff and residents, Friday, Jan. 15.
Luther Oaks, Bloomington
Bhaumik Thakkar, the pharmacy manager from the Decatur Walgreens on Friday gives Myrtle Armstrong, 102, who lives at Luther Oaks in Bloomington, the COVID-19 vaccine. Armstrong is among the first long-care residents in McLean County to receive the vaccine. Luther Oaks Executive Director Douglas Rutter was able to procure doses for 218 residents, staff and family caregivers through the federal vaccination program.
Luther Oaks, Bloomington
Decatur Walgreens pharmacist Kim Crawford, left, and Bhaumik Thakkar, pharmacy manager, mix the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine before injecting it into the arms of Luther Oaks staff and residents, Friday, Jan. 15.
Drive-through vaccination clinic, Decatur
Leanna Cossman of the Macon County Health Department gives the Moderna coronavirus vaccine to Elisa Houston during the Drive-Through COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on Dec. 30 at the Decatur Airport.
