Amazon’s power within the European well being and wonder sector was reaffirmed within the first quarter of 2025. In France alone, the U.S. big reported a 43% gross sales improve, following a 44% rise in 2024, in keeping with figures from well being information analytics agency Iqvia, shared with AFP.
“Three-quarters of the merchandise bought by Amazon are new to the European market, primarily in dermo-cosmetics, the place margins are larger,” emphasised Iqvia. This pattern displays the broader surge in e-commerce for over-the-counter (OTC) well being merchandise throughout Europe, which “is exhibiting robust development in all nations.” But, on-line gross sales stay secondary to conventional brick-and-mortar pharmacy channels, particularly in France, in keeping with the corporate.
The tempo of development differs throughout Europe: Spain noticed the very best improve in on-line OTC and private care gross sales at 25%, forward of Poland (+18%), Italy (+16%), and Germany (+11%).
Slower market penetration in France
France noticed a 6% rise in on-line orders; slower than in different nations, however forward of the three.5% development in conventional brick-and-mortar pharmacy gross sales.
So far as market share are involved, “on-line pharmacies signify roughly 2% of the entire in France and three% if we add Amazon, so it stays comparatively confidential,” stated Paul Reynolds, an professional at Iqvia France.
With a dense nationwide community of round 22,000 pharmacies, France maintains a stronghold on the sector. By regulation, solely pharmacist-operated pharmacies are permitted to promote drugs.
In France, as in Italy and Spain, on-line gross sales are restricted to non-prescription medicines — generally referred to as OTC (over-the-counter) merchandise.
Germany ranks first in on-line gross sales in Europe
In Germany and the UK, on-line pharmacies are allowed to promote prescription drugs. This extra liberal strategy additionally applies in different European nations just like the Netherlands, the Nordic nations, and Switzerland.
Based on Iqvia, Germany is the European nation with the most important market share for magnificence, private care and OTC on-line gross sales (20%), forward of Italy (8%), the place Amazon opened a parapharmacy at first of the 12 months, Poland (8%), Belgium (6%) and Spain (5%).
