CVS tested letting shoppers unlock selected merchandise cabinets with the CVS Health app, but it was a limited pilot—not a nationwide way to open any CVS case. The feature could spare a shopper a wait for an employee, while also giving CVS a reason to get customers to download and use its app.
What CVS launched
On January 28, 2025, CVS introduced the CVS Health app as the successor to the CVS Pharmacy app. CVS positioned it as a broader consumer platform for pharmacy, health and shopping services, including prescription management, pickup and delivery tools, immunization scheduling, ExtraCare offers, and health-plan information for eligible users. The announcement also described app-based unlocking of selected merchandise cabinets in a small store test. CVS’s launch announcement described AI-powered search and planned conversational tools for prescription status and refills as part of the app’s broader direction.
The cabinet feature concerns locked front-store merchandise, not prescription pickup security. CVS separately offers prescription pickup tools, including a barcode feature, through its app.
How the cabinet-unlocking pilot works
Reporting on the pilot said shoppers needed to be signed in, connected to the store’s Wi-Fi and have Bluetooth enabled. Eligibility was also tied to a CVS account or loyalty-program relationship, according to Engadget’s report. At a participating location, the shopper uses the in-app unlocking control for a designated case, takes the item and completes checkout.
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- Open or download the CVS Health app and sign in.
- At a participating store, connect to its Wi-Fi and enable Bluetooth.
- Use the cabinet-unlocking option in the app, if it is available for that store and case.
- Retrieve the merchandise and proceed to checkout.
The exact screen path and button label are not established as universal; they may vary by app version and store. Do not assume the option will appear for every CVS customer or every locked product.
Where it was available—and what is known about its scale
Engadget and PhoneScoop reported an initial test in three stores, with a planned expansion to 10–15 stores. CVS’s official launch announcement characterized cabinet unlocking as a limited test but did not publish a store list. A customer report identified a New York City location, but that anecdote does not establish broader availability.
CVS’s 2025 proxy statement later listed app-based merchandise-cabinet unlocking among its customer-experience initiatives. That confirms the concept remained part of its digital-retail strategy; it does not establish a national rollout. The available materials provide no public availability map, rollout schedule, adoption figures, shrink results or end date for the pilot. Treat the feature as limited to selected stores unless CVS confirms otherwise.
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Why the feature can also encourage app adoption
CVS framed the app as a convenience and health-management tool. But tying cabinet access to an app turns a familiar in-store frustration into a reason to download the software, sign in, use store Wi-Fi and enable Bluetooth. That makes the feature an app-acquisition and engagement incentive, even though CVS has not disclosed that increasing signups was its sole purpose or published cabinet-specific signup results.
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The cabinet experiment fits a wider digital strategy. At its 2025 Investor Day, CVS said it aimed to bring its businesses together through a singular consumer-facing app. Its 2025 proxy statement reported more than 61 million unique digital customers, up about 11% year over year, and a 42% digital-adoption rate among omnichannel pharmacy customers. Those are company-wide digital measures, not results attributed to cabinet unlocking. See the Investor Day materials and the 2025 proxy statement.
The retail trade-off: fewer waits, but more friction for some shoppers
Locked cases can protect merchandise in categories retailers consider vulnerable to theft, but they can also make a simple purchase depend on finding an employee. App-based access attempts to keep the merchandise secured while reducing the need for staff to stop other work and unlock a case. Whether it speeds purchases, reduces employee interruptions or changes losses is not established by public results from CVS.
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The shopper, meanwhile, needs a compatible phone, an account, connectivity and the right device permissions. That can be convenient for an existing app user, but less so for someone who does not want another retailer app, has limited battery or connectivity, has accessibility or compatibility needs, or needs the item urgently. App access should not be treated as the only route to merchandise: asking an employee remains the practical fallback.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can go wrong, and what to do
The pilot adds several possible points of failure: the store may not participate; the option may not appear; the shopper may be signed out or not recognized; Bluetooth or nearby-device permissions may be off; the phone may be using cellular data rather than store Wi-Fi; the Wi-Fi or lock may be offline; or the app may not detect the cabinet. Employee and customer posts describe inconsistent experiences at some pilot locations, but these are anecdotes, not representative reliability data. See the employee discussion and customer report.
- If the app option is missing or the case does not open, ask an employee for help rather than pulling or forcing the door.
- If the item can wait, check CVS.com or the app for pickup or delivery availability; inventory and options vary by location.
- If the item is urgently needed, especially a medication or health-related product, ask staff instead of spending time troubleshooting the pilot.
- Even after a case opens, staff may still need to help with checkout, age verification or product questions.
Privacy and account considerations
Using the feature means using the CVS app and connecting to store systems; the pilot reporting also identifies Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as prerequisites. Those requirements alone do not establish what cabinet-specific data CVS collects, how long it retains it or whether it uses it for a particular purpose. For the applicable general terms and privacy information, consult CVS’s Terms of Use and privacy center. A shopper who prefers not to use the app can ask an employee to unlock the merchandise.
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