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Dispensing Chemists in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Clara-Camille Schneider Clara-Camille Schneider Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: December 2024 WZ G47.73DE

Revenue

€68.5bn

2024

€68.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€X.Xbn

Employees

263k

Businesses

15,459

Wages

€X.Xbn

Dispensing Chemists in Germany industry analysis

The pharmacy sector is dedicated to the trade in pharmaceuticals, tissue paper and cosmetic products. In the last five years, it has increased its turnover by an average of 0.4% per year. The absence of pandemic-related special effects has worsened the earnings situation. With the end of the pandemic, the number of medications prescribed by doctors and the number of SHI prescriptions filled in pharmacies increased, which led to sales growth. Medical progress and the ageing population have also had a positive impact on sales. At the same time, however, an increase in overall costs, particularly personnel and material costs, has had a significant negative impact on profits over the past two years. The steady decline in the number of pharmacies shows how much economic pressure pharmacies are under. Pharmacy fees were last increased in 2013 and even further reduced in 2023 as part of the health insurance discount. This made it impossible to fully refinance the inflation-related additional costs and tariff increases.According to IBISWorld forecasts, industry turnover will amount to 68.5 billion euros in the current year, which corresponds to a decline in turnover of 0.2 % compared to the previous year. The number of pharmacies continued to fall in the first quarter of 2024. In view of the continuing shortage of new recruits and staff, supply bottlenecks, increasing bureaucratisation and a lack of fee increases, the economic situation of many pharmacies remains tense. Sector-specific profits will continue to fall. As a result, necessary investments, for example in telemedicine equipment or vaccinations, cannot be made. The introduction of e-prescriptions will primarily have a positive effect on the mail order business. However, this does not represent an increase in demand for the industry as a whole, but merely a shift in sales from over-the-counter to mail order.In the long-term trend, the industry can benefit from the rising demand for medicines and health-promoting products. The rise in life expectancy and an increase in new drug approvals will ensure continuous customer growth and a positive outlook. Average annual growth of 2.4% is therefore expected over the next five years, which means that total sales should reach 77 billion euros in 2029. Mail-order sales of medicines offer great growth potential, but it remains to be seen to what extent this sales channel can be utilised by domestic companies and what legal framework conditions will prevail.

Trends and Insights

  • The number of pharmacies is continuously decreasing, especially in rural regions. This development is problematic in that young people tend to leave rural areas and older people, who have a greater need for medicines, stay behind.
  • Prescription patent products account for the majority of pharmacy sales. The share of sales accounted for by patent medicines is stable, as new approvals are not tied to price negotiations in the first few months, which provides a major incentive for companies to constantly bring new medicines onto the market.
  • The distribution of pharmacies throughout Germany is very much based on the distribution of the population. Accordingly, the central and southern regions have the largest proportion of pharmacies.
  • Prescription medicines may only be sold by pharmacies in Germany. Pharmacies compete on price with drugstores and health food shops for non-pharmacy-only medicines and the usual range of supplements.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €68.5bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The pharmacy discount was increased to stabilise SHI finances in the short term

  • In order to limit statutory health insurance (SHI) expenditure on medicines, pharmacies must grant discounts to SHI and pharmaceutical manufacturers when dispensing prescription-only medicines.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Dispensing Chemists in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Traditional pharmacies fear increasing competitive pressure from the entry of mail-order pharmacies into the market

  • Currently, the majority of sales in the mail-order pharmacy sector are generated by over-the-counter products and care products. The introduction of e-prescriptions is likely to ensure that prescription medicines also gain in importance in the mail-order business, which poses a risk for bricks-and-mortar pharmacies. Prescription medicines are the most important product segment in the sector.

Biggest companies in the Dispensing Chemists in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Redcare Pharmacy N. V.
1,022.0
DocMorris N. V.
605.0
MediosApotheke Anike Oleski e. Kfr.
296.4

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Dispensing Chemists in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Prescription medicines, Supplementary range customary in pharmacies and Pharmacy-only medicines. Prescription medicines is the largest segment of the Dispensing Chemists in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Pharmacies generate the majority of their turnover with prescription medicines

  • Prescription patent products account for the majority of pharmacy sales. Sales of products for hepatitis C in particular have grown strongly in recent years, but medicinal cannabis is also being used more and more.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This sector comprises the retail sale of pharmaceuticals and other medical products via retail and mail-order pharmacies. It includes the sale of prescription, pharmacy-only, over-the-counter and other cosmetic pharmaceutical products.

What's included in this industry?

Prescription medicinesSupplementary range customary in pharmaciesPharmacy-only medicines

Companies

Redcare Pharmacy N. V.DocMorris N. V.MediosApotheke Anike Oleski e. Kfr.

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

APPROBATIONE-RECEPTGRIP ZONE

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 47.73 - Dispensing Chemists in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The number of pharmacies is continuously decreasing, especially in rural regions. This development is problematic in that young people tend to leave rural areas and older peo...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Prescription patent products account for the majority of pharmacy sales. The share of sales accounted for by patent medicines is stable, as new approvals are not tied to pric...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The distribution of pharmacies throughout Germany is very much based on the distribution of the population. Accordingly, the central and southern regions have the largest pro...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Prescription medicines may only be sold by pharmacies in Germany. Pharmacies compete on price with drugstores and health food shops for non-pharmacy-only medicines and the us...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There are no main players in the sector. Pharmacists may operate a maximum of one main pharmacy with three secondary branches, which restricts the size of the companies.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Redcare Pharmacy N. V.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of DocMorris N. V.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of MediosApotheke Anike Oleski e. Kfr.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Redcare Pharmacy N. V., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for DocMorris N. V., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for MediosApotheke Anike Oleski e. Kfr., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

With the On-site Pharmacies Act of 2020, foreign mail-order pharmacies are also once again bound by the prices on the German market. In 2016, the European Court of Justice ru...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The cost of materials accounts for the largest share of industry costs. Despite the strict regulation of prescription drug prices, the share of purchasing costs has risen sli...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany is €68.5bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Dispensing Chemists in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 15,459 businesses in the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 0.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Dispensing Chemists market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Dispensing Chemists market in Germany are Redcare Pharmacy N. V., DocMorris N. V. and MediosApotheke Anike Oleski e. Kfr.

What does the Dispensing Chemists in Germany include?

Prescription medicines and Supplementary range customary in pharmacies are part of the Dispensing Chemists industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Dispensing Chemists in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is Redcare Pharmacy N. V..

How competitive is the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Dispensing Chemists industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.