Expansion and diversification

In the 1990s Boots branched into dentistry, with a number of stores offering this service. Boots has also made a venture into "Wellbeing" services offering customers treatments ranging from facials, homeopathy, and nutritional advice to laser eye surgery and Botox (although the Botox service was short-lived). These ventures proved to be unprofitable. Boots Hearingcare was sold, and although it continues to trade at Boots, the service is owned by another Company. In late 2004 Boots also sold off the Dentistry, Footcare and Lasix eye surgery services to Optical Express who, like the Hearingcare, will continue to trade at Boots.

A branch of Boots in South LondonBoots has also diversified into the research and manufacturing of drugs. It discovered ibuprofen, a painkiller and continues producing, trading and exporting its finished form (tablets, syrup etc.) in the UK and internationally, although manufacturing the bulk drug is now the activity of major pharmachemical operations in the USA, India and China.

Boots may well expand into the U.S. by supplying its popular ranges such as Botanics to department stores. Boots stores are starting to sell products not traditionally associated with Boots such as Dyson cleaners - under the name 'Offer of the Week'. These 'odd' items are bought in bulk and savings on High Street prices are passed onto the customer. Although many may see this as odd, Jesse's own customers were often presented with 'odd' items which Jesse purchased by buying in bulk and taking the first steps towards the strength of bulk buying. Jesse once filled the windows of his second Goosegate shop with sponges!