Watsons Philippines: Leading the Way in Health, Beauty, and Sustainability

The Philippines’ most trusted one-stop-shop for Health and Beauty bags two major wins at the Retail Asia Awards 2023.

Watsons Philippines has once again made waves in the retail industry by bagging both the Health & Beauty Retailer of the Year - Philippines and Sustainability Initiative of the Year - Philippines accolades at the recently concluded Retail Asia Awards 2023. 

The programme recognises retailers that can navigate their way through industry challenges such as the ever-changing customer demand and e-commerce boom whilst delivering exceptional value to consumers and maintaining healthy revenues.

Over the past year, Watsons Philippines has achieved significant milestones in its effort to promote holistic wellness through its health and beauty products, social responsibility initiatives, and sustainability efforts. 

Watsons partnered with the Department of Health's Resbakuna sa Botika programme and administered a total of 23,351 COVID-19 vaccines and 58,134 commercial vaccines in stores. The company also provided vaccination services such as flu, pneumonia, and HPV vaccines.

Watsons Philippines has been consistently working on keeping its Brand Equity Index (BEI) up and concluded 2022 with their highest BEI score, making them the most loved Health & Beauty store in the country, based on the latest Nielsen study. Additionally, its e-commerce BEI score also surpassed some marketplace competitors, making the Watsons App the second most trusted platform for products and promotions.

As part of its effort to uplift the lives of Filipinos, Watsons launched Mega Wellness and Big Savings campaigns for vitamins and supplements, offering up to 50% off, yielding more than 105 million in sales. Watsons Club members were also given the chance to win e-raffle prizes that promote customer wellness, including local destination trips, Dyson air purifiers, Fitbits, and a brand-new car.

The company also became the top beauty retailer for Filipinos above 30 years old, thanks to its special sale events, monthly double-digit sales, and wide range of products.

In 2022 alone, Watsons reached over 1,000 stores nationwide, driven by its Offline + Online strategy (O+O) and expanded its product range, leading to a sales growth of 170% over its target. 

Moreover, Watsons has made sustainability a cornerstone of its business strategy, identifying customer concerns that undermine sustainability and strengthening its sustainable choices programme. 

The company's sustainable initiatives have been driven by the identification of three key customer concerns that undermine sustainability: higher cost, lack of information, and shopping convenience.

It has strengthened its sustainable choices programme by promoting sustainable choices through budget-friendly options, opening Naturals by Watson's refill stations at flagship stores, and holding quarterly Green Week Sales. 

In collaboration with CORA Philippines, Watsons collected 1,014 kg of trash at coastal cleanups, recovered and recycled 2.5 million plastic bottles through Plastic Bank, and helped 116 beneficiaries get free cleft or lip palette surgery through Operation Smile. It has trained 94% of its workforce through its sustainable development programmes.

Watsons has likewise expanded its environmental initiatives by partnering with Plastic Bank on Recycle for Rewards and SM for Trash to Cash to encourage customers to drop off empty bottles for discounts. 

As a result, the company has enrolled 1,700 certified sustainable products resulting in an overall sustainability effort of 10.8% of total sales participation. During Green Week sales, 15% of sales came from more sustainable products. 

Moving forward, Watsons aims to continue spreading awareness and converting to a sustainable lifestyle by targeting to mobilise surgeries with Operation Smile and gain Alagang Pangkalusugan beneficiaries by 2025. 

The company also plans to install 100 community pharmacy stores with solar panels, use 100% RSPO palm oil and 100% FSC paper for Watsons' Brand products, and purchase renewable energy for distribution centres.

Through partnerships, community initiatives, and innovative campaigns, Watsons has not only provided access to quality healthcare and beauty but also actively contributed to environmental conservation.

As Watsons looks ahead, its vision extends beyond profitability. By continuously striving for innovation, it remains dedicated to providing the best health, beauty, and sustainable solutions for the Filipino community.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the retail industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].