Priceline Pharmacy on Wednesday announced the launch of click-and-collect in selected Victorian stores and said the service will be gradually deployed across the entire network from early December.

More than 250 stores are slated to have the service by the end of March 2020.

“We know that our customers are enjoying many different ways to shop and the launch of the click-and-collect functionality has already generated strong interest without having marketed it yet,” Andrew Vidler, Priceline Pharmacy’s GM, said in a statement.

According to Vidler, the service will allow customers to order more than 15,000 of their favourite brands and cult products online and pick the items up in-store two hours later.

“The flexibility we’re offering means that, for example, with a new product launch a customer can order the product from their local store and collect it only two hours later, knowing they have it reserved,” Vidler said.

“Customers receive an email when their order is ready for collection.”

Priceline Pharmacy recently recorded $2.2 billion in sales for FY19, a 2.4 per cent increase year on year, which helped boost owner API’s total revenue to $4 billion.

The company’s like-for-like sales returned to growth, 0.7 per cent, and its net profit after tax increased 17.6 per cent to $56.6 million.

The Group’s net debt levels, however, increased from $55.9 million to $199.1 million over the year to August 31 due to the costs of purchasing a 12.95 per cent stake in Sigma Healthcare, an investment in Consumer Brands inventory and investing in Clear Skincare clinics.

Richard Vincent, API CEO and MD, said Christmas trading will have a significant influence on its performance in FY20.