Watsons Is the Oldest Surviving Company in Hong Kong

You may not realize it, but every time you enter a Watsons, you are entering Hong Kong’s oldest surviving company. So old, in fact, that it predates the establishment of Hong Kong as a British colony by thirteen years.

In 1828, a small dispensary named the Canton Dispensary and Soda Water Establishment was founded in Guangdong Province. In 1843, the dispensary moved to Hong Kong and was renamed the Hong Kong Dispensary.

Meanwhile, in 1845, a Scotsman, Dr. Thomas Boswell Watson, set up a private practice in Macau. He sold his practice in 1856 and moved to Hong Kong, where he became a part owner of the Hong Kong Dispensary.

In 1858, Alexander Skirving Watson took over the company and rebranded it with his initials as A.S. Watson in 1870. Due to the poor quality of free drinking water, A.S. Watsons Water began selling bottled water in Hong Kong and China in 1903, which you can still buy today.

In 1963, A.S. Watson & Co. Ltd. was acquired by its current owners, the Hutchison Group. Since then, A.S. Watson Group has continued expanding, acquiring brands such as ParknShop and Fortress in Hong Kong, as well as European brands like Superdrug in the UK and Ici Paris XL in France.

As of 2026, A.S. Watson Group is the world’s largest health and beauty retailer.