Opposite trends in Germany

According to an analysis by the German Nielsen Subsidiary, he German market of pharmaceutical products grew by 0,5 per cent between October 2005 and September 2006 compared to the preceding period. Total turnover amounted to EUR 34,35 billion. Pharmaceuticals which require a prescription accounted for 79 per cent of total sales, while OTC products accounted for 21 per cent. Opposite trends were observed in the two segments. Sales of pharmaceuticals which require a prescription grew by 1,5 per cent, while those of OTC products fell by 3,3 per cent. 79 per cent of OTC sales were generated by people purchasing without consulting a doctor. Another 11 per cent were generated using prescriptions from private health insurance companies. The negative trend in OTC sales is the result of new legislation aimed at reducing spending by insurance companies on pharmaceutical products. The reduction or withdrawal of subsidies has had its effect on most consumers. Pharmacies have an 86 per cent market share in the sales of OTC products in Germany, while FMCG retailers have 24 per cent.