Walgreens looks to speed up Rite Aid merger

Walgreens Boots Alliance is considering a move that would force the Federal Trade Commission to vote on its planned merger with Rite Aid within 30 days.



Walgreens is considering declaring that it has “certified compliance” in its application, which would mean that the drugstore chain believes it has given regulators substantially all the information they need to make a decision, The New York Post reported.



According to the report, the move would be risky, but could bear fruit for Walgreens with a Republican-led FTC not likely to block the $9.7 billion deal.



The Walgreens-Rite Aid proposed merger was first announced in October 2015. If the deal goes through, Fred’s Pharmacy would buy at least 865 divested Rite Aid stores.



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