Boots vs Superdrug

The Guardian has started a new series, looking at two rival retailers along the same street or in the same shopping center. The point is to see how they're differentiated and what each does best for its customers.

The first matchup in this series is Boots versus Superdrug, high street merchants that sell health products, beauty products and pharmaceuticals.

The Guardian points out that Boots has a loyalty card (very good for rewarding repeat purchases) and convenient in-store kiosks for instant ordering of digital photos. The chain's private brand products were another plus.

Superdrug, as the Guardian notes, also has a loyalty card (with a mirror on it), a fresh decor and plenty of employees to assist customers. In this first matchup, the paper puts Boots slightly ahead of Superdrug, in part because Boots appears to have a wider range of merchandise.

Now for a brief bit of marketing background on these two chains.

The first Superdrug opened in 1966, and today the chain has more than 900 stores, although most have no pharmacy. Want to interact with Superdrug? Try Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the company's own blog.

Boots has a long history, starting in the late 19th century. These days, it has nearly 2,500 stores and a thriving private-brand business for beauty products. You can keep up-to-date with Boots on Facebook or visit its YouTube channel.