New pharmacy at Whanganui Victoria Ave Countdown store

A new pharmacy in Whanganui is offering half price prescriptions and you can get your milk and bread with your pills.

The Countdown Victoria Ave store opened last Monday and is the 24th pharmacy inside the supermarket chain's stores in the country.

Pharmacist Peter Yu said it made a lot of sense having the pharmacy in the supermarket as it made shopping more convenient.

"One stop is easy. People come in for grocery shopping and in the meantime they can get their script," he said.

The store is open from Monday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm but from about October Yu hoped that would extend to seven days a week and from 9am until 8pm.

All Countdown pharmacies, including the new Whanganui store, are offering cut price prescriptions of $2.50 instead of the standard $5 price.

"I think there's just a need," Yu said. "There's a need for pharmacies. Especially in Whanganui. There's a lot of elderly people and people on medication, there's just a need.

"It's our model of business - one stop business - more convenience."

Yu said they'd been quite busy with customers who were pleased to see the pharmacy up in operation.

"They like it. Also it's cost-effective - $2.50 - but [we] don't charge after-hours fares it's the same price on the weekend."

The store was working on hiring one more technician and one more pharmacist to be able to stay open longer.