German Pharmacies Fear Advance Of Supermarkets

Germany's pharmacy monopoly is once again under the spotlight as theEconomics Ministry reviews the current drug pricing regulations.

Around 1.07 billion packs of drugs prescribed by doctors were sold exclusively through pharmacies last year, and even for the packs not specifically restricted to pharmacy distribution, there has been little or no competition up to the present.

Nevertheless, the so-called "problem" of over-the-counter medicines is said to be causing increasing concern in pharmacies. Last year, supermarkets, consumer markets and drug stores sold about 100 million packs of vitamins, laxatives, tonics and similar products, while pharmacies sold about 50 million units of OTC items. OTC sales accounted for only 1.5% of the nationwide turnover of some 45 billion Deutschemarks ($25.12 billion) by Germany's 21,000 pharmacies.