Trade union representatives are to hold talks with Boots management at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in an attempt to resolve a pay dispute and head off industrial action planned for November 28.

BOOTS, the British healthcare and beauty retail giant, is aiming to nearly double the number of stores it operates in Ireland over the next three years and is looking to boost its pharmacy operations via acquisition.

MORE than 900 Boots staff working in 57 stores around the country are to be balloted for strike action over company plans to introduce cost-saving measures.

Mandate Trade Union today said that it is balloting workers in Boots retail stores throughout the country for industrial action.

INTERNATIONAL pharmacy chain Boots is to make a giant, acre-sized footprint in Cork city centre, and promises 50 new jobs as a result.

The guardians of Alliance Boots’ pension scheme struck a funding deal with the group’s private equity buyers today, breaking the deadlock that threatened the £11.1bn (€16.4bn) sale of the healthcare giant.

Alliance Boots’ shareholders will cast their votes today on the recommended £11.1bn (€16.3bn) takeover of the group by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and deputy chairman Stefano Pessina.

The likely private equity takeover of Alliance Boots will probably lead to “opportunistic financial rape”, a retail expert has said.

A branch of high street pharmacy Boots was fined over €1,000 and became the first company prosecuted for breaching a European Union directive aimed at cutting levels of electrical waste, it emerged today.

DUBLIN’S ISEQ index went into record territory early yesterday but ended the day up 23 points at 6,864. Its last record close was towards the end of July, when the Index hit 6956.

Retailer Boots the Chemists today said it had poached a senior boss from rival Tesco to help it revive its core UK stores business.

High street pharmacist Boots today said strong sales of health and beauty products had helped lift like-for-like sales by 4.6% in the first quarter.

High street pharmacist Boots today reported a 17% fall in annual pre-tax profits as restructuring costs, including exiting loss-making businesses, took their toll.

Health and beauty retailer Boots smashed City forecasts today by reporting its strongest pre-Christmas sales growth for more than 10 years.

Health and beauty chain Boots forecast mixed second-quarter sales today but insisted it was still on track to hit full-year profit expectations.