(Reuters) -Walmart will become the first U.S. retailer to sell Abbott Laboratories’ over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor Lingo in physical stores, an Abbott spokesperson said on Tuesday. Abbott’s device, which was previously available only at HelloLingo.com and Amazon, will now be sold in Walmart’s 3,500 stores across the U.S. Continuous glucose monitor makers such as Abbott, […]
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Walmart to be first US retailer to sell Abbott’s continuous glucose monitor
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(Reuters) -Walmart will become the first U.S. retailer to sell Abbott Laboratories’ over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor Lingo in physical stores, an Abbott spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Abbott’s device, which was previously available only at HelloLingo.com and Amazon, will now be sold in Walmart’s 3,500 stores across the U.S.
Continuous glucose monitor makers such as Abbott, Dexcom and Medtronic are riding a surge in demand as diabetes awareness rises, insurance coverage expands and patients embrace finger-prick-free technology.
Lingo has a small, flexible sensor inserted just under the skin, usually on the back of the upper arm. The sensor measures glucose levels every few minutes.
The two-week pack with one sensor costs $48.97 at Walmart, including access to the Lingo app, which is available only for iPhone now.
Abbott launched Lingo last year, targeting consumers who want to better understand their health, while its other lineup, FreeStyle Libre, is for people with diabetes and is mostly available on prescription basis.
In the third quarter, sales of Abbott’s continuous glucose monitors grew 20.5% to $2.0 billion.
Axios first reported the development earlier in the day.
(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)