HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 September 2026 – As World Pharmacists Day approaches, AS Watson celebrates the contribution of more than 3,300 pharmacists and nearly 10,000 health professionals who help customers proactively manage their health and wellbeing every day through its network of over 1,770 pharmacies worldwide.
Driven by growing customer interest in preventive healthcare and self-care, AS Watson recorded 10% growth in global health sales over the past year, reflecting increasing demand for products and services that support overall wellbeing and healthier lifestyles.
Peter Macnab, International Commercial Director of AS Watson, said, “As healthcare continues to evolve from treatment to prevention, AS Watson is supporting customers with trusted professional advice, personalised and innovative O+O (Offline plus Online) healthcare solutions. We proudly recognise our pharmacists and healthcare professionals whose expertise and dedication make a meaningful difference to the health of customers and communities every day.”
AS Watson Unveils Global Health Research
To better understand evolving customer health behaviours, AS Watson unveiled findings from its Global Health Research, conducted by WISE, its customer experience insights division, among over 11,000 respondents across 10 markets in Europe and Asia.
The survey found that health concerns(43%) are the main driver of health product adoption, with professional advice (41%) from healthcare experts remaining a key influence alongside recommendations from family and friends (32%).
Customers are increasingly adopting an offline and online approach to product research, combining online research(82%), health professional consultations (49%) and in-store product discovery(44%). When making purchase decisions, they consider a combination of price and promotion(56%), brand trust(48%), and product benefits(45%).
The findings highlight the increasingly important role pharmacists play in preventive healthcare, helping customers make informed health decisions through trusted professional advice and guidance.
Peter concluded, “The future of healthcare is increasingly preventive, personalised and accessible. By bringing together trusted expertise, personalised care and O+O innovation, AS Watson is building a healthcare ecosystem that helps people take charge of their health with confidence. Our ambition is to make preventive healthcare more accessible and relevant to every customer, helping create healthier lives and communities worldwide.”
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About AS Watson Group
Established in 1841, AS Watson Group is one of the world’s longest-standing and most recognised retail companies with roots in Asia. Today, the company operates over 17,000 stores across 12 retail brands in 31 markets, employing 130,000 people globally. This makes AS Watson Group the largest international health and beauty retailer in the world.
In the fiscal year 2025, AS Watson Group reported revenue of over US$26 billion. The company’s technology-enabled O+O (Offline plus Online) platforms serve over 6 billion shoppers annually, seamlessly integrating physical and digital retail experiences.
AS Watson Group supported over 180 charitable and non-profit organisations every year, dedicating over 40,000 hours of volunteer work to serve over 370,000 people in need in our operating markets.
AS Watson Group is also a member of the world-renowned multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, which has four core businesses – ports and related services, retail, infrastructure and telecommunications in over 50 countries.
Please visit www.aswatson.com/our-company/o-and-o-strategy/ for more information.
About WISE
WISE stands for Watson Insights on Shoppers Experience. It is the research division of AS Watson, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer. By constantly having conversations with a panel that comprises of over 180 million members across 31 markets, WISE focuses on developing customer insights in beauty care, personal care, health and wellbeing to help better understand and meet the needs of today’s customers.
