Brilliant beauty bargains at Superdrug.com! Superdrug, great products, and great prices…what more could you possibly want? Well, how about your own, personal Superdrug, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Sound good, well guess what? It’s already here at Superdrug.com. Superdrug specialise in beauty products, brand name fragrances and boast a large selection of stylish seasonal gifts. Take advantage of the same amazing offers you get in store, on wide range of products, and do it all from home - or in your lunch hour at work!

You can even get next day delivery from Monday to Friday. All the best bits of shopping at Superdrug…all available online at Superdrug.com!

Superdrug History

1964 Ronald and Peter Goldstein, who had both spent several years in the grocery retailing industry, decided to implement their trading formulae and concepts and start a toiletry retailing business. Superdrug was incorporated in 1964 as 'Leading Supermarkets Limited' and adopted its present name later that year.

1966 The first Superdrug store opened on 26 April in Putney High Street.

1968 Three stores trading successfully; Putney, Croydon and Streatham. During this year, Superdrug acquired its first distribution warehouse in Wimbledon. Prior to the warehouse opening, suppliers had delivered directly to stores.

1970 Store opening expansion dictated a head office move to larger premises at West Molesey, with a warehouse capacity of 20,000 square feet.

1971 The Rite Aid Corporation, a US company operating a chain of drugstores on the east coast of America, acquired a 49% stake in Superdrug.

1972 Superdrug acquired Elgee Drugstores, a company operating a chain of five stores.

1973 Superdrug, now operating over 40 stores, moved its warehouse operation to premises at Hackbridge with an increased space capacity of 50,000 square feet. Computerised stock control was introduced.

1976 Superdrug, through accelerated store growth, acquired additional warehouse space of 16,000 square feet to service the 65 stores now operating.

1979 The Company acquired an eight acre site at Beddington Lane, Croydon, giving the opportunity of designing a purpose built distribution centre and head offices to cater for the expanding business. Superdrug was now trading through 77 stores.

1980 The first store in Wales opened in Wrexham.

1981 The Croydon distribution centre was completed, providing 120,000 square feet of warehouse space and head office accommodation. Superdrug opened its 100th store in Manchester.

1983 Superdrug, now operating 143 outlets, was floated on the USM stock market in February and received a spectacular welcome.

1984 Sales exceeded a record £ million in one week. An additional 31 new stores were opened and a 14 acre site was acquired in Wakefield to cope with the increasing distribution needs of the expanded business in the north. Croydon head office was extended and at the end of the year, Bishop Auckland became the company's 200th store.

1985 The Goldsteins' trading formula continued to demonstrate its success with 37 new stores opened and own-label products exceeding 24% of total sales. In addition, a new 200,000 square foot, semi-automated distribution centre was completed in Pontefract. The Company also established an in-house Design Studio and Quality Assurance Department. Superdrug opened its first store in Scotland bringing the store total to 253.

1986 Exactly two years after the company stock market flotation, Superdrug had doubled its store chain to a sizeable 289 outlets.

1987 In March, Superdrug agreed a £57 million takeover by Woolworth Holdings Plc (Kingfisher Plc) with Rite Aid relinquishing its shareholding. The terms of the acquisition laid out a clear strategy for Superdrug to accelerate its expansion programme by taking advantage of Woolworth Holdings' (Kingfisher Plc) financial assets and surplus premium high street property portfolio. Superdrug, now a major force on the UK high street, increased its store chain to 339 by the end of the year, trading in some 954,000 square feet of retail space and employing over 7,000 people.

1988 Woolworth Holdings Plc (Kingfisher Plc) acquired Tip Top Drugstores in January for £3 million. The 110 Tip Top outlets were concentrated in the North of England and Scotland. In March, Woolworth Holdings Plc (Kingfisher Plc) acquired Share Drug, a business comprising 145 drugstores located in the south, for £2 million. By the end of the year, Superdrug had established a market leading position within the high street toiletry sector, trading in 580 outlets and producing an annual turnover of £50 million. Excess properties resulting from store duplications in high street sites were sold. The Tip Top warehouse and distribution centre at Wetherby was closed and consolidated into Pontefract. The Share Drug distribution centre in Southampton was re-organised and computerised systems introduced. The business was now being serviced by three distribution centres.

1989 Woolworth Holdings Plc changed its name to Kingfisher Plc, establishing a new corporate identity autonomous to its retailing subsidiary companies. Superdrug's expansion rate continued, and in November Kingfisher acquired the Medicare chain of drugstores. The additional 86 Medicare stores were quickly incorporated into the Superdrug portfolio, increasing its retail trading space by 200,000 square feet in 681 outlets.

1990 Ronald and Peter Goldstein left Superdrug and Alan Smith was appointed Managing Director in March. He joined the company from Allied Lyons Plc where he was Managing Director of the Victoria Wine Company. With some of the Medicare sites sold off and store relocations/rationalisation programmes decreasing store numbers, the number of Superdrug stores reached 650.

1991 Superdrug opened its first store in Northern Ireland and subsequently developed a chain of nine stores in the region. The company also opened its first two perfumeries in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Epsom, Surrey.

1992 Superdrug announced annual sales of £59m and profits of £4.6m for the trading year ending January 1992. Market share increased significantly from 7.8% to 8.4% in the toiletries sector. The Cheltenham store became the first Superdrug store with an in-store pharmacy. A further 18 perfumeries opened in stores nationwide. In August, Superdrug launched its No Animal Testing Charter.

1993 A total of 60 perfumeries were now open. The Bracknell store became the second Superdrug store with an in-store pharmacy.

1994 In March, the largest Superdrug store opened in Northampton measuring 8,700 sq.ft.

1995 Superdrug announced annual sales of £19.5m and profits of £8.1m for the trading year ending 28 January 1995. The company's rebranding and store refurbishment programme began, with the first four new look stores opening in Milton Keynes, Bristol, The Strand and Holborn. By December, the number of in-store pharmacies had increased to 48.

1996 Superdrug announced annual sales of £53.8m and profits of £1.1m for the trading year ending 3 February 1996. By April, the number of in-store pharmacies had increased to 60.

1997 Superdrug announced annual sales of £84.8m and profits of £2.4m for the trading year ending 31 January 1997. The number of in-store pharmacies increased to 128 and a total of 1,400 own brand products were launched during the year.

1998 Superdrug announced annual sales of £49.5m and profits of £1m for the trading year ending 31 January 1998. In June, Superdrug opened its first-ever Oxford Street store in the heart of London's West End. This new flagship site was the first UK high street health & beauty outlet to feature an integrated Hair Salon. The Hair Salon offers customers a premium salon environment, in a friendly, accessible format, and full menu of hairdressing services at great prices. In addition the store features a pharmacy for prescription dispensing and general healthcare advice. A consulting room is also available offering a wide range of healthcare services including osteopathy, chiropody, massage and reflexology.

1999 Superdrug announced annual sales of £98.5m and profits of £1.1m for the trading year ending 31 January 1999. In March, Superdrug opened its new look store in The Bluewater Shopping Centre, one of Europe's biggest shopping centre developments. By November, the number of in-store pharmacies had increased to 192.

2000 In February, Superdrug celebrated the opening of its 200th Pharmacy in Twickenham. In April, Liz Wright was appointed Managing Director. Also in April, Superdrug launched its first ever customer magazine, Spirit. Available in all 720 Superdrug stores, the free bi-monthly title, is published by River Publishing. The magazine brings alive the health and beauty retailer's lively and down-to-earth personality, featuring a mix of realistic and affordable beauty and fashion tips and ideas, plus makeovers, accessible healthcare advice and real-life reader stories. In September, Superdrug launched its web site, Superdrug.com. By November 2000, the number of in-store pharmacies had increased to 231.

2001 In July, Kingfisher completed the sale of Superdrug to Kruidvat Beheer BV and new stores opened in prime retail pitches generating a more indulgent health & beauty shopping experience.

2002 In February, Superdrug announced its biggest ever promotional initiative with the launch of the 'Big Deal' leaflet. The 'Big Deal' leaflet targets over 5.75 million households nationwide and reaches 1 in every 3 households in Superdrug's catchment area. The leaflet communicates all key activity happening at Superdrug including new lower prices, promotions and new product launches. In October, Superdrug's parent company, Kruidvat Holdings sold its retail interests to A.S. Watson, an international retailer and manufacturer, who is part of the multinational conglomerate, Hutchison Whampoa.

2003 In January 2003, Gerard Hazelebach replaced Liz Wright as managing director of Superdrug. Gerard joined Superdrug from ICI Paris XL, Kruidvat's perfumery business.

2003 In April 2003, the company teamed up with 3G to open the first 3 store within a Superdrug store, giving new and existing customers the ideal opportunity to experience video-mobiling (over 200 3 stores to date).

2003 In September 2003, Superdrug opened the doors to its first trial store that reflects the new brand concept in the Bullring Centre Development.

2004 Superdrug is currently in the process of a major EPOS replacement programme that will see all its stores using a new EPOS system by September 2004. Benefits include touch screen tills, and additional features such as greater promotional flexibility and electronic top-up for mobile phones. The other key driver for replacing the old hardware was the introduction of Chip & PIN technology in January 2005 and our desire to have an integrated solution with Chip & PIN on the tills.

Superdrug Today

SUPERDRUG HISTORY OVERVIEW

Superdrug became part of the AS Watson family in October 2002. Superdrug was founded in 1964 by the Goldstein family who developed the business from just one store and sold the business to Kingfisher in 1987. A major expansion programme for Superdrug was accelerated by the acquisition in 1988 of the Tip Top chain. In 1989, the Medicare chain was aquired increasing Superdrug's store base to over 650. In July 2001 Superdrug was purchased by Dutch health and beauty chain, Kruidvat Beheer BV who sold its retail interests to ASW in October 2002

COMPANY STATISTICS

Superdrug is the United Kingdom's second-largest beauty and health currently operating over 740 stores in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. It currently has 226 in-store pharmacies.

Superdrug will open 48 new stores this year and over the last two years has invested in rejuvenating the Superdrug beand in the UK to make it more appealing, fun and relevant to its customers through a re-branding programme that completed this year.

ABOUT SUPERDRUG

Superdrug is Britain's most fashion conscious beauty and health retailer and is committed to bringing innovation and the latest styles and trends to the high street at fantastic prices. It is the first high street beauty and health retailer to support London fashion Week and last year it launched its True Spirit range of jewellery which is now in over 600 stores and fashion accessories which is in 77 stores. It is committed to bringing new and beautiful brands to its customers exclusively and faster than the competition securing exclusives, ahead of any other UK retailer. This year it has launched a new cosmetics range GOSH into 400 stores, new trend led home ranges and a 'tween range of accessories, jewellery and cosmetics.

Superdrug is a challenging brand on behalf of its customers. After a ten month campaign lobbying the UK Government to slash the VAT on condoms the retailer celebrated a successful outcome to this campaign in the last Budget when the Chancellor slashed the VAT on condoms from 17.5 per cent to five per cent. Its latest campaign is to reduce the VAT on kids' sun care products and a lobbying campaign to get the Government to reclassify sun cream as an essential health item rather than a luxury beauty item is currently underway.

Being a responsible retailer is core to its activities and this year the retailer launched a long term partnership with the Princes Trust to support young people with potential through a programme of fund-raising, employee involvement and creating job opportunities. It has also joined forces with the Institute of Cancer Research to raise funds and awareness about the effects of skin cancer through its SAFE (Skin Awareness for Everyone) Campaign.

A key element to the brand's success is ensuring that its team is trained to give customers the service and quality they deserve. Through its retail academy team members are given the skills, confidence and knowledge to offer customers the best beauty and health advice on the high street.

A.S. WATSON

A.S.Watson &, Limited is one of the oldest and best-known trading names in Asia. With a history dating back to 1828, the A.S. Watson Group (ASW) has evolved into a truly international retail and manufacturing business with operations in 36 markets worldwide. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited, ASW operates over 7,400 retail stores running from health & beauty chains, luxury perfumeries & cosmetics to food, electronics, fine wine and airport duty free. It is also an established player in the beverage industry, providing a full range of beverages from bottled water, fruit juices, soft drinks and tea products to the world's finest wine labels via its international wine wholesaling and distribution network. In 2005, ASW reported turnover of HK$88,780 million (approx. US$11,382 million).

A.S. WATSON IN ASIA

The A.S. Watson portfolio encompasses some of Asia's favourite brands and retail chains. These include health & beauty specialist Watsons Your Personal Store, PARKnSHOP supermarkets, Great Food Hall, Taste food galleria, Fortress electrical appliance stores, Watson's Wine Cellars and Nuance-Watson airport duty free shops. ASW is also a major manufacturer and distributor of water products and beverages in the region with Watsons Water, Mr Juicy and Sunkist being the flagship brands in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

A.S. WATSON IN EUROPE

In Europe, the Group now operates eight health and beauty, chains - under Kruidvat, Superdrug, Savers, Trekpleister, Rossmann, Drogas, Spektr and Watsons Your Personal Store, as well as three luxury perfumeries and cosmetics brands Marionnaud, The Perfume Shop and ICI PARIS XL.

In Switzerland, wine-trading company Badaracco SA is a valued member of the ASW family, bringing valuable synergy to the Group's retail operations.

HUTCHISON WHAMPOA

Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) is a leading international corporation committed to innovation and technology with businesses spanning the globe. Its diverse array of holdings range from some of the world's biggest port operators and retailers to property development and infrastructure to the most technologically-advanced and marketing-savvy telecommunications operators. HWL reports turnover of approximately HKD242 billion (USD31 billion) and HKD 124 billion (USD16 billion) for the year ended 31 December 2005 and for the unaudited results for the six months ended 30 June 2006 respectively. With operations in 54 countries and over 220,000 employees worldwide, Hutchison has five core businesses - ports and related services; property and hotels; retail; energy, infrastructure, investments and others; and telecommunications.