Watsons Opens 8,000th Store In Asia At SM MOA

Watsons, Asia’s No.1 health and beauty brand, opened its 8,000th store in Asia at SM Mall of Asia in an event attended by officials of AS Watson Group, SM Group, and SM Beauty.

The new store is a testament to Watsons’ commitment to enhancing the O+O (Offline plus Online) customer experience.

“The Philippines has been selected for this momentous occasion because it’s one of the fastest-rising economies in Asia and a strategic market for AS Watson. This vibrant and highly potential market has a young demographic that increasingly focuses on health and beauty, aligning perfectly with Watsons’ expertise,” said Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson Group, who led the opening ceremony of the event titled “Celebr8000.”

Ngai explained that 8,000 represents “a vast network that makes our products and services more accessible to customers everywhere.”

“Combined with our O+O model, we are committed to serving the community anywhere, anytime. Each store creates local jobs, customer loyalty and strengthens brand trust. Special thanks to our dedicated team around Asia for making this possible,” she added.

(L-R): Robert Sun, Regional Managing Director, H&B Asia & International Commercial Director of AS Watson Group, Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson Group, Elizabeth Sy, President SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., Dominic Lai, Chairman of AS Watson Group and Danilo Chiong, Managing Director of Watsons Philippines, officiate the opening ceremony of Watsons’ 8000th in Asia

The Watsons journey began in 1841 in a small apothecary in Hong Kong. Now Asia’s leading health and beauty retailer, Watsons has evolved with the times with its purpose of putting a smile on its customers’ faces remaining unchanged.

The new store in SM Mall of Asia has a spacious layout and a stylish, contemporary design with designated zones that include a Premium Beauty zone featuring the latest trending exclusive brands, advanced skin analyzer, and dermatologist-recommended products. 

The Sustainable Choices zone has a refill station for selected Naturals by Watsons products, along with a wide array of Clean Beauty products to empower customers in living sustainably.

The store has also introduced more self-checkout counters and Click & Collect services, allowing customers to effortlessly order online and swiftly pick up their purchases in-store within 30 minutes. To create a seamless O+O customer experience, Watsons Philippines has installed an innovative online Health Supplement Advisor that guides customers to find the right product and offers personalized health consultations with pharmacists via live chat. 

(L-R): Danilo Chiong, Managing Director of Watsons Philippines, Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee SM Prime Holdings Inc., Dominic Lai, Chairman of AS Watson Group, Tessie Sy-Coson, Vice Chairperson SM Investments Corp., Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson Group, Elizabeth Sy, President SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., and Robert Sun, Regional Managing Director, H&B Asia International Commercial Director of AS Watson Group, celebrate the opening of Watsons’ 8,000th store in Asia

“Watsons operates over 1,100 stores in the Philippines, and we’re thrilled that the opening of Watsons’ 8,000th store in Asia is taking place here. This achievement showcases our commitment to providing the best health and beauty products and services, both offline and online. We look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional O+O shopping experience to help our customers Look Good, Do Good and Feel Great,” said Danilo Chiong, Managing Director of Watsons Philippines.

The opening of Watsons’ 8,000th store in Asia marks not just a significant milestone for the brand. It is also a promise of innovation as the retailer continues to expand its footprint and remain dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of its customers.