Walmart (NYSE:WMT) is expanding its pharmacy delivery services to include medications that require refrigeration, including insulin, weight loss medications like Ozempic, and specific hormone therapies.
The medications will be delivered in special insulated packages in as little as 30 minutes, positioning Walmart (NYSE:WMT) to compete directly with Amazon Pharmacy (AMZN) by leveraging its ubiquitous store network for faster last-mile delivery. Other online pharmacies offer temperature-controlled deliveries with next-day delivery through either UPS (UPS) or FedEx (FDX).
Temperature-sensitive medications currently make up roughly 30% of Walmart’s prescription transactions, according to data cited by Bloomberg. The company began offering same-day free pharmacy delivery to its Walmart+ members, and to non-members for $9.95 last October.
As home deliveries become faster and more extensive, Walmart continues to step up its efforts to become a major player in the healthcare industry with the planned expansion of its Central Fill network with a 102,000 square foot facility in Maryland. By combining robotics with skilled technicians, Walmart (NYSE:WMT) expects the facility will eventually fulfill 90% of its prescriptions by the end of next year.