dm is working on online pharmacy launch in Germany

dm is planning to enter the OTC market with its own online pharmacy, Lebensmittelpraxis reported, citing information from Handelsblatt. No information is yet available on the exact launch date of the project.

With this move, dm is trying to prepare for the significant changes that digital health developments such as e-prescription, digital patient records and telemedicine, as well as the transformation of traditional care may bring about in the near future.

In Germany, online sales of medicines are growing faster than other segments of the healthcare market. Offline pharmacies are closing on a daily basis and 60% of GPs will retire in the next ten years, Sebastian Bayer, dm’s marketing and communications director, told Lebensmittelpraxis in an interview.

The rise of online pharmacies

The market for over-the-counter medicines in Germany will reach a turnover of €11.2 billion in 2023, of which €2.54 billion will come from online sales.

In recent years, online pharmacies, such as Doc Morris and Shop Apotheke, based in the more liberalised Netherlands, have gained significant market share over traditional pharmacies. While the number of physical pharmacies exceeded 20,000 ten years ago, there are now fewer than 17,300.

Low prices and convenience are the top priorities for buyers

Christoph Werner, CEO of dm, has already referred to health as a “megatrend” at the end of 2023, which he believes will sooner or later change the market structure.

According to a recent study, the most important factors for German shoppers when buying medicines online are favourable prices, fast delivery, a wide choice and availability.

Lebensmittelpraxis