Press Release

CVS/pharmacy Offers Affordable Gift Options for Everyone’s Valentine

Survey Reveals Valentine’s Day will be about Simple Tokens of Affection

WOONSOCKET, R.I. – February 5, 2009 – CVS/pharmacy, America's largest retail pharmacy, offers Valentine’s Day gifts and essentials for all loves from true to new.  Shoppers can choose from a wide selection of affordable gifts including premium chocolates, candy, novelties, gift cards, beauty products and specialty items, conveniently located at your neighborhood CVS/pharmacy location.

“We’ve seen incredible innovation in greeting cards, which now offer our customers new and exciting ways to express themselves with recordable messages and other customizable options.  Personalized tokens of affection such as these novelty cards and photo gifts are sure to be winners this year, along with the classic gifts of candy and premium chocolate,” said Mike Bloom, senior vice president of merchandising, CVS/pharmacy.

According to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey conducted by BIGresearch, more people will send greeting cards and purchase gift cards than they did last year, with 45% planning on giving candy. NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin says, “This year more than ever, consumers will look for creative and inexpensive ways to show those they love how much they mean to them.”

CVS/pharmacy provides an extensive selection of greeting cards including novelty singing and talking cards, voice-recordable cards and super jumbo cards, as well as child-themed collections for classroom card exchanges. Colorful gift bags, wrapping paper and all the adornments shoppers need for a personal touch are also conveniently available.
Last minute shoppers can choose from a variety of gift cards from popular retailers such as DSW, Nordstrom, Lowes, Borders, American Express, Visa, iTunes, AMC and Regal movie theaters and more.  CVS/pharmacy even offers gift cards you might not expect to find, including a Spa Finder card, redeemable at participating spas nationwide.  

Classic Gifts
With choices ranging from $0.99 to $14.99, CVS/pharmacy offers hundreds of chocolate and candy possibilities from Absolutely Divine Premium Chocolates, Lindt, Ghiradelli, Russell Stover’s, Hershey, Dove and more!

Novelty Gifts
CVS/pharmacy also offers a selection of affordable and whimsical novelty items including a variety of stuffed animals that sing and dance or simply say “I love you.” Scented candles and diffusers ($1.99 - $9.99) set the mood while Valentine’s Day Fluffy Love Slippers ($7.99), Light-up Roses ($2.99) Lotto Romance Cards ($0.99) and Flashing Heart Rings ($1.29) are sure to put a smile on your Valentine’s face.

Personalized Gifts
Looking to be creative? What says “I love you” more than a photo? Shoppers can create in-store photo books or KODAK Picture Movie DVDs in minutes. The CVS/pharmacy in-store photo books are available in three sizes and range in price from $5.99 - $14.99. The KODAK Picture Movie DVD can display up to 59 photos and can be produced the same day for only $14.99. Same-day prints, collages and a selection of photo frames are also available.

Pampering Gifts
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, CVS/pharmacy’s exclusive Essence of Beauty line of luxurious bath and beauty products introduces its newest fragrance - Chocolate Strawberry Fondue.  This latest scent is available as a body lotion, shower gel, body mist and soy candle. Shoppers can also pick up his or her favorite designer fragrances or gift sets for their loved ones. Brands such as Usher, JLo, Baby Phat, Acqua Di Gio, Drakkar Noir, Curve, Celine Dion and Intimately Beckham are all available.

Online Gifts
Need more ideas or shopping online? Visit the “Valentine Shop” at CVS.com for easy-to-navigate gift recommendations for him or her, where shoppers will find spa-at-home products, gadgets and more. Gift baskets from Starbucks and Stringer's delight the senses with assortments of coffee, tea, spa treats and more from $14.99 to $29.99.  Still stumped?  Surprise your Valentine with the Coby Personal DVD Player ($39.99) or a Kodak Easy Share P720 Digital Picture Frame ($79.99).

Extra Ways to Save
For additional savings, CVS/pharmacy encourages shoppers to use their ExtraCare Rewards Cards. With more than 55 million active cardholders, CVS/pharmacy’s ExtraCare program is the largest retail rewards program in the nation and participants earn 2% back on nearly every purchase they make, delivered in the form of ‘CVS/pharmacy dollars’ called Extra Bucks. The program is free and only takes minutes to join in-store or on CVS.com. Extra Bucks are paid out online and on the bottom of customer receipts at the beginning of each quarter. Additionally, cardholders receive instant Extra Bucks every time they shop, simply by purchasing specially-advertised items such as many of the items detailed above.

To locate the store closest to you, please visit http://www.cvs.com/storefinder.

About CVS/pharmacy
CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), is America's largest retail pharmacy. The Company operates more than 6,800 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drugs stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at www.cvscaremark.com.