Drugstore chain dm wants to sell non-prescription medications online

The drugstore chain dm wants to enter the trade in over-the-counter but pharmacy-only medications. “We will offer non-prescription OTC products online that customers have previously only been able to buy in pharmacies,” said dm boss Christoph Werner to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. These goods should not be offered in stores, hence the route via an online shop.

“OTC” comes from English and stands for “over the counter”, i.e. sold over the counter. As a rule, these medications are not covered by health insurance companies and you have to pay for them yourself. This includes, for example, a low dosage of the painkiller ibuprofen or cold remedies.

In his justification, Werner referred to the decline in pharmacy density: Statistically speaking, a pharmacy closes every day. The Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations reported last week that the number of pharmacies in Germany fell to 17,041 last year, its lowest level since 1978. According to the information, 68 pharmacies were opened in Germany in 2022, 62 in 2023 and only 48 in 2024. In terms of pharmacy density, the Federal Republic of Germany, with 20 pharmacies per 100,000 inhabitants, is below the EU average of 32.

According to his own statements, the dm boss is also speculating on regulatory changes in the future. Demographic change is changing customer needs and at the same time healthcare costs are rising, he told the “FAZ”. It is foreseeable that something will have to change.

Werner rejected the accusation of accelerating the demise of pharmacies. “Entrepreneurial pharmacists” would have great opportunities after liberalization. “We are therefore not interested in competing with pharmacies, but rather in making our contribution to an affordable supply of health products in Germany,” he assured.