Dr. Scholl's is a footwear and orthopedic foot care brand owned by Bayer in the North and Latin American markets, and by Aurelius AG in its remaining markets worldwide. The brand in the North and Latin American markets was owned by Merck & Co. through its predecessor Schering-Plough until they sold it to Bayer on October 1, 2014.^[1] Aurelius AG bought the brand for all other markets from Reckitt Benckiser on July 21, 2014.^[2]

Podiatrist William Mathias Scholl started the brand in 1906.^[3] The original company expanded globally to design and patent over 1,000 foot care products and became a member of the Fortune 500 in 1971. That same year, the company went public.^[4]

In 1979, Schering-Plough bought the Dr. Scholl's brand.^[4] In 1984, Schering-Plough sold the global brand and non-North American operations to European Home Products, who manufacture and distribute footwear and foot care products under the Scholl brand.^[5]

In 2010, Reckitt Benckiser Group purchased the Scholl brand from SSL International.^[6] In 2014, Aurelius, a German private equity firm, purchased the international rights to the Scholl brand from Reckitt Benckiser, excluding the Americas.^[7]

In 2009, Merck & Co purchased the Dr. Scholl's brand as part of its acquisition of Schering-Plough.^[8] Under parent Merck & Co., Schering-Plough imports the product line from China and has a North American distribution agreement with the Brown Shoe Company. Bayer bought Dr. Scholl's in 2014 as part of its acquisition of Merck & Co's consumer health unit.^[9] This acquisition gave them the rights to the business in North and South America.^[7] In July 2019, Bayer sold Dr. Scholl's to Yellow Wood Partners for $585 million.^[9]