Alliance Boots has suggested it may adopt Walgreens' strategies in pharmacy services and technology following its £4.27 bn strategic partnership with the US pharmacy chain last month.

The health and beauty giant said Walgreens had developed "innovative new pharmacy services" in the US market and stressed it was keen to "learn from" its new partner's strategy.

Alliance Boots is looking to adopt some of Walgreens' use of technology and has not ruled out the installation of dispensing vending machines in Boots stores

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Ornella Barra, chief executive of Alliance Boots' pharmaceutical wholesale division, suggested the company would look closely at Walgreens' pharmacy services. "There's a lot of best practice to share," she told C+D. "Walgreens is strong in developing innovative new pharmacy services in the most advanced healthcare market in the world." Asked whether Boots would follow Walgreens' pilot project to offer free HIV testing, launched on June 26, Ms Barra answered that the company would "put customers at the heart" of what it offered. "As far as Boots stores in the UK are concerned, we'll evaluate all product brand opportunities from a customer-centric perspective," she said. "If the customer wants it, you can expect us to progress it."

The comments came after Alex Gourlay, chief executive of Alliance Boots' health and beauty division, said it would consider putting US technology in Boots' UK stores. "Walgreens' technology is really strong, not just in pharmacy operations but also in being able to track customers," he told C+D on the day of the merger. "They're developing some really interesting products we can learn from and potentially implement in the UK."

And Mr Gourlay did not rule out the installation of dispensing vending machines in Boots stores, stressing that the company was interested in technology that would free up pharmacists' time.

Alliance Boots announced on June 19 it was selling 45 per cent of its business to Walgreens for £4.27 billion (US$6.7bn). Walgreens will have the option to buy the remaining 55 per cent of the business in 2015.

Find out what the Walgreens-Alliance Boots deal means for the companies and shareholders.