What is Boots UK Limited?
'''Boots UK Limited''' (formerly '''Boots the Chemists'''), trading as '''Boots''', is a British health and beauty [[retailer]] and the biggest [[Pharmacy in the United Kingdom|pharmacy]] [[Chain store|chain]] in the United Kingdom. It had 2,200 shops across the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2022. It also operates in [[Ireland]], [[Italy]], [[Norway]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Malta]], [[Thailand]] and [[Indonesia]]. In August 2019, there were 3,063 Boots stores across six countries: * United Kingdom: 2,465 * Thailand: 293 * Norway: 159 * Republic of Ireland: 89 * Netherlands: 59 * Malta: 3 * Indonesia: 3 It was started in 1849, by John Boot in [[Nottingham]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bunn|first=Matthew|date=2019-02-17|title=Inside the Boots archives which reveals the company's incredible history|url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/business/take-sneak-peek-inside-boots-2549470|access-date=2023-08-20|website=NottinghamshireLive|language=en}}</ref> In the 1960s, it developed the painkiller [[Ibuprofen]]. The company merged with Alliance UniChem in 2006, to form Alliance Boots. It was bought by a [[private equity]] firm.in 2007. [[Walgreens]] bought a 45% of Alliance Boots in 2012, with the option to buy the rest within three years. It exercised this option in 2014, and as a result Boots became a subsidiary of the new company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, on 31 December 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-31|title=Walgreen-Alliance Boots deal is complete|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-walgreen-completes-merger-0101-biz-20141231-story.html|access-date=2023-08-20|website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:1849 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Retail companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Pharmacies]] [[Category:Nottingham]] {{UK-stub}}