flew under the radar. Payment game changer Chemist Warehouse has announced that it is introducing a QR code payment system to both its online marketplace and its 600 stores nationwide. The “pay by bank” system is expected to launch in early 2025 and is deliberately designed to avoid debit and credit card payment surcharges. Chemist Warehouse never passed its transaction costs on to customers – instead, it absorbed the fees – but the QR code system would allow it to avoid them entirely. “Because we’re a discounter and we work on thin margins, these transaction costs are a big part of our potential profit,” Jack Gance, the company’s chairman, told The Australian Financial Review. “So, from our point of view, it is important to have a competitive, low-cost payment system. That means we can offer a better service and a better price to the consumer,” he added. The announcement comes as the Reserve Bank of Australia is considering banning companies from passing on merchant commissions to customers and will inevitably prompt retailers to take a closer look at the cost of payments. Chemist Warehouse won’t be the first Australian retailer to adopt QR code payments; the pharmacy follows in the footsteps of Muji, Vodafone, MJ Bale and L’Occitane. Towards the Middle East Chemist Warehouse has turned its attention to the UAE by opening its first store in Dubai at Al Ghurair Centre. Prior to the opening of this store, Chemist Warehouse’s store portfolio was limited to Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and China. “We are proud to have officially landed in Dubai this week and are celebrating our first store opening in the UAE,” said Chemist Warehouse director Mario Tascone. “We are committed to providing our UAE customers with an engaging and informative shopping experience that offers a wide range of high quality products at an affordable price,” he added. “With a ‘one-stop shop’ model and larger retail format, we are excited to welcome customers to our first store in the country.” This is the first Australian pharmacy to enter the Dubai market and will stock a wide range of products from high end to low end in the 1000 square meter store. Accelerating digital growth Chemist Warehouse’s editorial and commercial platform, The House of Wellness, is integrated into Body+Soul, Australia’s largest health and wellness media brand. House of Wellness acts as Chemist Warehouse’s content ecosystem – generating print, digital, social and native content for products and services. Highlighting a larger trend overall, brands are beginning to adopt a retail media strategy that they can control and, in the case of Chemist Warehouse, own – to ensure media coverage, audience reach and revenue. It has been widely reported that Chemist Warehouse’s retail media divisions drive 20% of sales. “This partnership significantly expands our wellness platform, allowing us to address the needs of our engaged audience and drive growth even more effectively for our brand partners,” said Tascone. “We are delighted that The House of Wellness will be part of the Body+Soul network, bringing together the expertise and capabilities of both companies with a shared commitment to being Australia’s No.1 health and wellness destination,” he added. The new partnership is set to drive further growth not only for Chemist Warehouse, but also for its suppliers and brand partners. Positioning Chemist Warehouse not just as a discount pharmacy, but as a marketing machine.