THE WHAT? In a departure from its traditional pharmacy model, Boots is opening a destination store for beauty-lovers at London’s Battersea Power Station development. The Walgreens Boots Alliance-owned chain has described the 11,200 sq ft space as a ‘beauty playground’.

THE DETAILS The store will feature a supersize beauty studio where shoppers can try out new products, looks and trends. Shelves will be stocked with some 250 brands, including several new UK-exclusive lines and ranges from diverse and female-owned brands.

THE WHY? With Sephora returning to UK shores, the competition is hotting up. Paul Niezawitowski, Beauty Director at Boots, reveals, “Our new Beauty showcase solidifies Boots’ position as the UK’s number one beauty destination and marks the latest innovation under our ongoing beauty reinvention programme. Boots continues to invest in providing a market-leading beauty shopping experience and this new beauty-only concept not only allows customers to be the very first to try new brands and products but also provides a platform to launch new services that we know our customers will love.”