The Jean Coutu Group Expects to Close the Brooks Eckerd Transaction With Rite Aid on June 4, 2007 Following Federal Trade Commission Acceptance of Consent Agreement

On August 24, 2006, The Jean Coutu Group announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell its United States network of approximately 1,850 Brooks and Eckerd stores and six distribution centers, primarily located on the East Coast and in the Mid-Atlantic states, to Rite Aid.

The terms of the consent order require Rite Aid to divest 23 stores located in the states of Connecticut, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia within a short period following completion of the transaction. Rite Aid has entered into definitive agreements with purchasers to sell all of the stores required to be divested. Those sales have been approved by the FTC, and Rite Aid expects to complete the required divestitures within the prescribed timeframe contained in the consent order.

The consent order will be subject to a 30-day public comment period, after which the FTC may propose modifications before the consent order is made final. However, the companies are not required to delay closing of the transaction for the comment period.

Rite Aid will enter into state consent orders for the divestitures required by the FTC and for the divestiture of three additional stores in New York, Vermont and Virginia. Finalization of the state decrees is not required for closing.

With the transaction, Rite Aid will be the largest drugstore chain on the East Coast and will strengthen its position as the third largest U.S. drugstore chain. With more than 5,000 stores, Rite Aid will have the scale to compete more effectively with its major drugstore rivals. The Jean Coutu Group will hold an approximate 32% common equity interest and approximately 30% of the voting power in the expanded Rite Aid.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, and you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "projects" or "anticipates" or similar expressions that concern our strategy, plans or intentions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time, and, therefore, our actual results may differ materially from those expected. While the Company believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect the Company's actual results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

About The Jean Coutu Group

The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc. is the fourth largest drugstore chain in North America and the second largest in both the eastern United States and Canada. The Company and its combined network of 2,182 corporate and franchised drugstores (under the banners of Brooks and Eckerd Pharmacy, PJC Jean Coutu, PJC Clinique and PJC Sante Beaute) employ more than 61,000 people.

The Jean Coutu Group's United States operations employ 46,000 people and comprise 1,856 corporate owned stores located in 18 states of the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Jean Coutu Group's Canadian operations and franchised drugstores in its network employ over 15,000 people and comprise 326 PJC Jean Coutu franchised stores in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario.

www.jeancoutu.com