Less than two years after pulling the plug
on its clinic-based health operations, Walmart is trying again. The retailer is kicking off the new year with Better Care Services, launching it as a digital destination that bundles urgent care,
behavioral health, telehealth and nutrition guidance under a single umbrella.
Customers can book same-day consults with third-party providers, then use
Walmart’s pickup or delivery options for prescriptions and OTC products. Walmart+ members get free delivery, and the company is offering a limited-time $15 discount on select telehealth services
this month.
The move expands Walmart’s long-stated ambition to make healthcare simpler and more affordable — and signals how aggressively the
company plans to compete across the broader wellness economy, linking grocery, pharmacy and digital care to build stickier customer relationships.
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As it
launches the platform, Walmart is doing what Walmart does: rolling back prices on more than 1,000 wellness-focused items across food, supplements, OTC health and fitness categories. It’s also
leaning into personalized nutrition with Walmart’s Nutrition Hub, an AI-driven tool that uses “Everyday Health Signals” to recommend healthier recipes and budget-friendly swaps
— a direct bridge between grocery and health outcomes that pressures both CPG brands and pharmacy aisles.
For marketers and CPG companies, the
initiative underscores Walmart’s ability to blur once-separate categories. Telehealth consults that convert into prescriptions, pharmacy pickup, OTC baskets and nutrition purchases create a
full-funnel journey other retailers can’t easily replicate. It also feeds into Walmart’s growing private-brand strategy: the retailer continues to expand its wellness assortment with
products like Lemme supplements, Oikos Pro Fusion drinks and Oura rings, while scaling bettergoods, its health-focused store brand.
Walmart is keeping the
community health layer as well. Later this month, it will host its annual Wellness Event in nearly 4,600 pharmacies, offering free screenings, consultations and low-cost immunizations — a
grassroots lever that builds trust, drives foot traffic and expands awareness of its broader health services.
The strategic shift comes after Walmart
shuttered its 51 health clinics and virtual care business in 2024, saying the model wasn’t sustainable. The new approach leans into digital convenience, nutrition and affordability instead of
brick-and-mortar care — a retail-native version of healthcare that plays to Walmart’s strengths: scale, price, grocery and logistics.
A Walmart
spokesperson says marketing plans include integrating the new offers across its app and website.