The Clicks Group will sell Unicorn Pharmaceuticals, it said on Monday, clearing the way for the Health Ministry to issue the company with licences for new stores.
This follows the Constitutional Court’s ruling in March last year in favour of the Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA), which argued that the group’s ownership of Unicorn violated regulations prohibiting pharmacies from owning drugmakers.
Reuters reports that the disposal of Unicorn, expected to be completed shortly, would give the green-light to Clicks to obtain new pharmacy licences – paused by the Health Ministry in May 2023, which said it would only resume when the company had complied with the court ruling.
The retailer, whose brands include Clicks, Clicks Baby, The Body Shop, Sorbet and UPD, had 902 stores and 718 pharmacies at the end of February.
Reuters article – Clicks to sell drug maker after court ruling (Open access)
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