Giant Eagle will take over pharmacy prescriptions from 78 Rite Aid stores that are closing across Pennsylvania and Ohio, the supermarket chain announced Thursday.
Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month.
According to Giant Eagle, transferred prescriptions will go to locations most convenient for affected customers.
The transfer will happen in waves next month and is subject to regulatory approval, Giant Eagle said.
Giant Eagle will immediately assume operations of two existing Rite Aid pharmacies with no interruption of store operations, the news release said.
The grocer did not identify the locations.
Among the first 30 Rite Aid stores whose prescriptions will be taken over by Giant Eagle are those in: Rostraver, North Huntingdon, Irwin, Whitehall, Shadyside, Bridgeville, Shaler, West Mifflin, Charleroi, Monongahela, Braddock, McKees Rocks, Monroeville and Oakmont.
Giant Eagle said it is proactively reaching out to affected Rite Aid customers.
Rite Aid is working to sell its 1,200 stores across the country. There are more than 300 Rite Aid locations in Pennsylvania.
Stores that aren’t sold will close, and it is estimated that 31,000 workers will lose their jobs.
Earlier this month, Rite Aid received court approval to sell most of its pharmacy assets from more than 1,000 store locations to a number of companies, including CVS, Walgreens, Albertsons, Kroger and Giant Eagle.
CVS will also purchase several stores in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.