How do I know if my pharmacy belongs to a Banner or a Franchise?
Banner: Banner groups are groups of retail pharmacies similar to franchise groups. They are principally marketing groups that allow for joint advertising and promotion. They are formed for the purpose of providing support to retail pharmacies, which are typically individually owned and not part of a parent company.
Franchise: A franchise is a method of distributing products or services involving a franchisor, who establishes the brand’s trademark or trade name and a business system. A franchisee pays a royalty and often an initial fee for the right to do business under the franchise name and system. Unlike a chain business, where a parent company owns all the business locations, a franchise is typically owned by separate individuals, who oversee running their own pharmacy.
The table below lists the known Banners and Franchises currently operating in Ontario.
| Banners in Ontario | Franchises in Ontario |
|---|---|
| Allied Pharmacists Inc. | Jean Coutu |
| Care & Cure | Hooper’s Pharmacy |
| IDA | Shoppers Drug Mart |
| Guardian | The Medicine Shoppe |
| OnPharm-United | |
| PharmaChoice | |
| Pharmasave | |
| Remedy’s Rx | |
| Rx HealthMed | |
| Total Health | |
| Whole Health |
If you do not see your Banner or Franchise listed above, check the list below for examples of corporations/organizations which are not considered a Banner or a Franchise.
Organizations not considered a Banner or Franchise
CATP (Canadian Addiction Treatment Pharmacy)
Costco
Drug Trading
Enterprise
Loblaw
McKesson
Metro
Rexall
Sobeys
United Pharmacy Group
Walmart