NORWALK — Walgreens is planning to close about 1,200 locations as the drugstore chain and its rivals struggle to define their role for U.S. shoppers who no longer look to them first for convenience.
Drugstores that once snapped up prime retail space in towns and cities across the country are in retreat. They’ve been battered by shrinking prescription reimbursement, persistent theft, rising costs and consumers who have strayed to online retailers or competitors with better prices.
The boost they received from taking the lead on vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic has long since faded…