Walmart now delivers prescription drugs in select states

Walmart will now deliver prescription medications to customers in select states, the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer announced on Tuesday.

The news comes a day after Amazon said it was growing in pharmacy.

The offer is live in six states, including Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, and by the end of January, Walmart expects to provide pharmacy delivery in 49 states. The service is available for both new prescriptions and medication refills.

Walmart said its existing footprint, which includes over 4,600 stores in the U.S., enables medication delivery to more than 86% of households.

The box retailer recently surveyed its customer base and discovered that 55% expressed a desire to have their prescriptions delivered along with their groceries and other items they need in a single online order. The service was the most requested by shoppers who identified as time-sensitive, busy families, according to Walmart.

“We understand that health care is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” Kevin Host, senior vice president of Pharmacy at Walmart U.S., said in a press release. “It’s hyper-local. Each community has unique needs. This new offering allows us to continue serving customers while also giving more time back to our pharmacies for high-touch health services.”

The pharmacy offering is integrated into delivery with the Walmart app or shoppers can order on the retailer’s website. The delivery options will eventually include same-day scheduled delivery and on-demand and express delivery. New or existing insurance plans will be applied to the transaction just like at the store.

Prescription delivery will be free for Walmart+ members but will cost $9.95 for non-Walmart+ customers.

Retail giants apparently see significant opportunity in pharmacy. 

Amazon announced on Monday that it plans to open 20 pharmacies next year.

The Seattle-based retailer did not reveal all 20 locations of the new pharmacies, but a few of the cities include Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Diego.

The pharmacies will be located at Amazon’s Same-Day Delivery sites.