Evolving Distribution Channels: How CHCs Can Continue Using the Brick-and-mortar Pharmacy Channel Effectively and Efficiently

The way consumers buy medicines has changed significantly in recent years. While brick-and-mortar pharmacies are still by far the most important sales channel, more and more consumers in most countries worldwide seek information online and also buy OTC products in the digital sphere. As a result, the relevance of brick-and-mortar pharmacies is declining, and consumer healthcare providers must ask themselves how they can continue to use this channel effectively and efficiently.

Consumers used to find out about and buy medicines in store, but today, more and more of them are doing this online. For example: According to recent studies, 62 percent of Germans now order medicines from online pharmacies. Among 16- to 49-year-olds, the figure is as high as around 80 percent, indicating that the framework conditions for selling consumer healthcare (CHC) products have changed. What is happening to the traditional brick-and-mortar pharmacy, which used to be a central…