Processing continues to play a prominent role at drug chains. (photoprocessing)

CDR Roundup--Statistics show that photoprocessing continues to play a prominent role in chain drug stores.

Photo Marketing Association marketing research director Barry Harrand says that photoprocessing volume at drug stores is up 5.9% for the first half, based on a poll of 20,000 households. And last year drug outlets retained a 25.2% share of the total market--by processing 177.2 million rolls, up 1.4 million from the year before.

Dollar volume in the processing segment of the chain drug photography business rose by 11.5% last year to 35% of the category overall ($641.2 million).

Two factors are helping the drug chains maintain that momentum.

One is the aging population. Senior citizens tend to go to conventional drug stores to have their prescriptions filled. While they're at it, they drop off their film or pick up their finished photographs.

In addition, more and more drug chains, having lost share to free-standing mini-labs in the 1980s, are starting to operate their own in-store mini-labs. For example, …