Sigma Healthcare has been seeking to expand in the U.K. and had last month partnered with British pharmacy chain Greenlight Healthcare to rollout Chemist Warehouse-branded stores in London.

The prospect of a monster equity raising – which would have been necessary to fund such a purchase – also had shareholders calling time.

Boots has been under mutliple ownerships including by Walgreen but the next owner will not be Australia's Sigma after it pulled out of talks.