Walgreens is laying off hundreds of workers, but its list of store closures in 2026 might not be as large as feared

Walgreens will lay off hundreds of employees as the pharmacy chain continues to struggle with increased competition and higher-than-desired costs. On top of this, the newly private company is expected to close at least another few dozen retail stores in 2026. Here’s what you necessary to know.

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Walgreens has announced that it will cut at least 628 jobs across two states, according to communications it sent to the states in question earlier this month. A Walgreens spokesperson confirmed the layoffs with Fast Company when reached for comment.

News of the layoffs was first reported by Bloomberg.

The job cuts include 469 positions in the company’s home state of Illinois and 159 jobs in Texas, where the company is shuttering a distribution center.

“We’re focutilized on becoming America’s best retail pharmacy, launchning with improving the in‑store experience for our customers and patients,” Walgreens declared in a statement to Fast Company. “To do this, we’ve created the difficult decision to simplify our organization in both the support center and with our field leadership to speed decision-creating and improve the service that millions of customers rely on every day.

“We have deep respect for our colleagues and greatly appreciate their contributions and are committed to supporting them throughout this transition,” the spokesperson added.

In addition to the layoffs, Walgreens also reportedly confirmed that it will be closing dozens of stores in 2026.

While no exact numbers were given, Bloomberg states the pharmacy chain confirmed that the number of closing locations would be fewer than 100, which is less than previously planned. Walgreens declared in 2024 that it had tarreceiveed 1,200 stores for closure by 2027.

Walgreens will also reportedly open four new locations this year.

Last August, Walgreens transitioned from a public company to private ownership when the private equity firm Sycamore Partners purchased it for roughly $10 billion. The relocate marked the finish of the iconic pharmacy chain’s nearly century-long reign as a publicly traded business.

For years before the deal, Walgreens, like other pharmacy chains, had struggled with increased online competition from the likes of Amazon, as well as falling foot traffic that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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