Western Canadian retailer continues its support of seniors through its annual gift-giving initiative
From Sunday, November 12 through Friday, December 8, London Drugs invites customers to lift the spirits of seniors over the holidays with the return of Stocking Stuffers for Seniors at all 80 store locations across Western Canada.
As Canada’s senior population is projected to grow by a staggering 68 per cent over the next 20 years, many older Canadians are grappling with the challenges of maintaining their budgets amidst soaring prices.[1] Disturbingly, 84 per cent of low-income seniors report running out of money to buy food regularly, making it evident that senior citizens are feeling the pinch of these economic pressures.[2]
“The holiday season is a time for giving, and it’s essential that we extend our generosity to those who need it most,” said Clint Mahlman, president and COO of London Drugs. “Our Stocking Stuffers for Seniors initiative aims to provide essential support and bring joy to the lives of seniors who may be experiencing financial hardship. It is about letting them know that they are not forgotten over the holidays, and that their community truly cares about their well-being.”
London Drugs has been supporting seniors over the holidays for more than 20 years, but Stocking Stuffers for Seniors officially began network wide in 2015, and has since helped over 75,000 seniors. Customers can make a meaningful impact by visiting a nearby London Drugs location and selecting a tag from the Stocking Stuffers for Seniors Christmas tree, each bearing a senior’s gift wish. Customers are encouraged to purchase the item listed on the tag (note: it does not need to be purchased from a London Drugs store) and return it to the same location, by the date provided, and gifts will be delivered to seniors ahead of the holiday.
“For many local seniors in long-term care, they’ve celebrated Christmas every year of their lives, but no longer have family to celebrate with,” says Tom Arnold, executive director of Eldercare Foundation. “It’s amazing to see their wonder and surprise on Christmas morning when a gift arrives from the Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program, and how decades of happy holiday memories come flooding back to them. Long-term care costs 80 per cent of a senior’s after-tax income. As prices of basic goods have risen, a growing number of seniors in care no longer have enough pension money left over each month to afford clothes, hearing aid batteries, denture cream, or other personal care needs. So, stocking stuffers can really boost quality of life for seniors all year long.”
New this year, customers who bring back their gifts and tags before December 1 will receive 1,000 LDExtras points, and 500 LDExtras points for gifts returned December 1 – 8.
For more information about Stocking Stuffers for Seniors, please visit londondrugs.com.
About London Drugs
Founded in 1945, B.C.-based London Drugs sells to every province and territory in Canada through its online store, www.londondrugs.com and has 80 London Drugs locations throughout BC in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. London Drugs offers customers a range of products from personal protection equipment for pandemic safety to digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. Renowned for its creative approach to retailing, the company employs more than 9,000 people with pharmacy and healthcare services at the heart of its business. Committed to innovation and superior customer service, London Drugs has established itself as a reputable and caring Canadian company that supports Canadian brands and continues to position itself for future growth and development.
Social media:
Facebook: /LondonDrugs
Twitter: @LondonDrugs
Instagram: @LondonDrugs
Hashtag Intel:
#LondonDrugs