Canada's Weston family buys Boots for $8.9bn

· Politics · United Kingdom · Canada

The Canadian family that once owned Selfridges has bought UK pharmacy and beauty retailer Boots for $8.9 billion (£6.74 billion). Wittington Investments, the holding company of the Weston family that controls Loblaws, acquired Boots from long-term backer Stefano Pessina. The deal is one of the largest UK retail transactions in recent years and hands a high-street institution to foreign ownership. Boots operates a large network of pharmacies and beauty stores across Britain.

Why it matters：The sale shows foreign buyers remain keen on UK high-street assets even as the retail sector faces structural pressure.

Key points

  • Boots was sold for $8.9 billion to the Weston family's Wittington Investments.
  • The seller was long-term backer Stefano Pessina.
  • The Weston family previously owned Selfridges.

Sources (original reporting)

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