Exit and disposal activities (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2020

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Restructuring and Related Costs

Costs related to exit and disposal activities under the Transformational Cost Management Program for the three months ended November 30, 2020 and November 30, 2019 were as follows (in millions):

Three months ended November 30, 2020	Retail Pharmacy USA		Retail Pharmacy International		Pharmaceutical Wholesale		Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Lease obligations and other real estate costs	$	22	$	—	$	—	$	22
Asset impairments	4		—		—		4
Employee severance and business transition costs	21		28		2		51
Information technology transformation and other exit costs	10		(6)		1		6
Total pre-tax exit and disposal costs	$	58	$	22	$	4	$	83

Three months ended November 30, 2019	Retail Pharmacy USA		Retail Pharmacy International		Pharmaceutical Wholesale		Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Lease obligations and other real estate costs	$	1	$	—	$	—	$	1
Asset impairments	8		3		—		11
Employee severance and business transition costs	34		1		5		40
Information technology transformation and other exit costs	7		4		1		12
Total pre-tax exit and disposal costs	$	49	$	9	$	6	$	64

Change in Restructuring Liabilities

The changes in liabilities and assets related to the exit and disposal activities under Transformational Cost Management Program include the following (in millions):

Rollforward of liabilities:	Lease obligations and other real estate costs		Asset Impairments		Employee severance and business transition costs		Information technology transformation and other exit costs		Total
Balance at August 31, 2020	$	22	$	—	$	227	$	8	$	257
Costs	22		4		51		6		83
Payments	(20)		—		(113)		(12)		(145)
Other	(4)		(4)		—		4		(4)
Balance at November 30, 2020	$	21	$	—	$	166	$	5	$	192