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NEW YORK A cool new shower sponge for guys -- aptly dubbed the "Axe Detailer Shower Tool" -- by Unilever's Axe brand was not only spotted on shelf at CVS/pharmacy but was also tagged as a "Hot New Item!"

This two-sided tool is designed to be used with Axe Shower Gel. The scrub side helps to smooth rough spots like elbows and heels. The soft mesh side will build a gentle lather to clean the entire body.

NEW YORK The push of private label at retail is evident at a CVS/pharmacy in Manhattan.

This end cap featuring several CVS private label personal care products is what shoppers see as soon as they enter the store. The display on the middle shelf reads: "Compares to Aveeno National Brand Products."

The news that Walgreens has reached an agreement with Caterpillar to help the company curb healthcare costs for its 70,000 employees, retirees and eligible dependents is one more indicator that the private sector cannot wait for healthcare reform and that pharmacy retailers are taking a greater role on the front lines of health care.

As explained in the article, Walgreens, through its Pharmacy Management Excellence program, will make transparent the prescription drug-pricing model, in turn, eliminating unnecessary and hidden costs for Caterpillar.

When’s the last time an entire endcap has been dedicated against hand sanitizer?

That’s the power of the novel H1N1 pandemic flu that will be returning to a school/workplace near you this fall. What are the chances this endcap will be rampant with empty spaces after the first few months of the season?

NEW YORK Walmart isn’t letting the lack of a physical presence in select Midwestern and Northeastern markets hinder its ability to offer prescription drugs, thanks to the expansion of a mail-order program begun earlier this year in Michigan. The program enables customers to receive a 90-day supply of approximately 300 generics for $10 via free mail delivery, or any of approximately 3,000 other pharmaceuticals that the company offers.

As further proof that probiotics is continuing on its upward trend, Walgreens is fielding a private label probiotic multivitamin. What makes this interesting is that most probiotics on the shelf today are just that, probiotics. Fielding a probiotic multivitamin is more of a natural food position, and should create a strong point-of-differentiation for Walgreens.