Walmart forays into telehealth for pets with Pawp tie-up

Petco Health and Wellness

22/05/2023 19:52

May 22 (Reuters) - Walmart Inc  WMT.N  said on Monday it
has signed a deal with pet telehealth provider Pawp to offer the
retailer's subscribed members access to veterinary professionals
via video or text without an appointment. 
    Walmart+ customers can use Pawp's services for a year from
Tuesday, the top U.S. retailer said, as it looks to tap growing
demand for pet telehealth from inflation-hit customers looking
for cheaper alternatives.
    The deal also lines up with Walmart's push to compete better
with Amazon  AMZN.O  on the e-commerce turf by rolling out more
services and value deals.
    Pet retailer Chewy  CHWY.N  and rival Petco Health and
Wellness Company  WOOF.O  have also been expanding their
telehealth offerings. Last year, Petco pegged the value of the
pet industry at $119 billion in 2021.
    CNBC first reported the news of the Walmart-Pawp deal
earlier in the day.

 (Reporting by Savyata Mishra and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in
Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
 ((Savyata.Mishra@thomsonreuters.com;))