Our history

1849

• Boots opens its first store, selling herbal remedies, in Goose Gate, Nottingham

1851

• Maison Thomas was founded in Agen, France (Pharmaceutical Wholesale)

1870

• The Boots business begins to develop under the management of Jesse Boot

1896

• Interpharm created in the Netherlands (Pharmaceutical Wholesale)

1915

• Edgar Moss opens first pharmacy store in Feltham, Middlesex

1919

• S.A.F.A created in Spain (Pharmaceutical Wholesale)

1927

• Boots acquires Beeston site in Nottingham

1935

• Boots launches No7 cosmetics

1938

• UniChem group is formed. Its initial business being the wholesaling of pharmaceutical products to independent pharmacists

1939

• Boots launches Soltan suncare range

1969

• Ibuprofen launched in the UK (developed by Boots)

1977

• Alleanza Farmaceutica founded by Stefano Pessina in Italy (Pharmaceutical Wholesale and Retail Pharmacy)

1982

• Di Pharma founded by Ornella Barra in Italy (Pharmaceutical Wholesale)

1991

• Alliance Santé formed from the merger between Alleanza Salute Italia, and ERPI and IFP, France (Pharmaceutical Wholesale)
• UniChem purchases Moss Chemists

1996

• Boots opens first store in Dublin, Republic of Ireland

1997

• Joint venture between Alliance Santé and UniChem in Portugal approved
• Alliance Santé merges with UniChem to form Alliance UniChem
• Boots launches Advantage Card loyalty scheme

1998

• Alliance UniChem acquires S.A.F.A. in Spain

1999

• Partnership forged with Galenica AG, Switzerland (Pharmaceutical Wholesale and Retail Pharmacy)

2000

• Acquisition process of Alliance Apotekene pharmacies in Norway
• Alliance UniChem acquires a 25% stake in leading Turkish pharmaceutical wholesaler, Hedef
• Acquisition of Interpharm in The Netherlands (Pharmaceutical Wholesale)
• Purchase of De Vier Vijzels in The Netherlands (Retail Pharmacy)
• Boots opens 50th store in Thailand

2002

• Alliance UniChem increases its stake in Hedef Alliance to 50%

2003

• Alliance UniChem indirectly acquires 40% stake in Egyptian Wholesaler UCP via Hedef Alliance

2004

• Alliance UniChem increases shareholding in Andreae-Noris Zahn AG ('ANZAG') to 29.99% of the equity (Germany)

2005

• Alliance UniChem enters a strategic partnership with Portugal's national association of pharmacies - Associação Nacional das Farmácias (ANF). Under the terms of the transaction, ANF purchases a 49% stake in the business and José de Mello Participaçães II SGPS acquires 2%
• Alliance UniChem completes acquisition of Alloga, one of Europe's leading specialist healthcare logistics and pre-wholesaling providers, from Galenica, its 25.5% owned Swiss associate

2006

• Sale of Boots Healthcare International (BHI) completed
• Alliance UniChem Plc merges with Boots Group PLC to form Alliance Boots plc

2007

• Alliance Boots is acquired by AB Acquisitions Limited

2008

• Alliance Boots forms a 50:50 joint venture in Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals Corporation ('GP Corp'), the third largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in China
• Hedef Alliance, together with UCP, acquired a 30% stake in Hydrapharm Spa, an Algerian pharmaceutical wholesaler 
• Alliance Boots acquires Central Homecare, which provides home healthcare services to patients in the UK who require management of complex drug therapies
• Acquisition of 90% of Megapharm in Germany, which provides a range of specialised wholesaling and logistics services for oncology products
• Acquisition of Depolabo, a leading provider of pharmaceutical pre-wholesale and contract logistics services in France

2009

• BCM, the Group's contract manufacturing business, becomes a standalone business within Alliance Boots
• Merger of Boots Opticians and Dollond & Aitchison, forming the second largest optical chain in the UK
• Acquisition of 10% minority interest in Megapharm to give Alliance Boots full ownership
• Celebration of the 160th Anniversary of the Boots brand
• Roll-out of 'your local Boots pharmacy' branded format completed 
• 55th store opens in the Republic of Ireland

2010

• Membership of the pan-European Alphega Pharmacy network (France, Italy, Spain, UK, Czech Republic and Russia) increases to over 3,000 pharmacies
• 100th ‘Boots apotek’ store opens in Norway