More and more health products now being bought in drugstores, 2023 study finds

WindStar Medical has been commissioning large-scale surveys to find out how consumers buy over-the-counter drugs (OTC) in Germany. Findings from the most recent survey suggest that more and more consumers are turning to drugstores rather than pharmacies when shopping for health products. The authors of the study believe that this is due to drugstores now having a wider range of products and that consumers are increasingly sensitive to high pharmacy prices. Supermarkets have also remained a popular sales channel for OTC drugs, even since pandemic-induced lockdowns were lifted.

One in ten respondents buy health products at least once a week, one in three at least once a month. Two-thirds of those surveyed were loyal to a particular retailer, with shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores generally more loyal than online buyers. Around half of consumers aged 30 or below prefer to shop online.

As a result of high inflation, more consumers are actively looking for special offers or buying private-label products. Around half of respondents said they were buying more online or fewer health products in general. The other half claimed that their shopping behaviour had not changed at all.

A total of 1,005 consumers were surveyed about their health product purchases between 21 April and 6 May 2023. A detailed analysis of the survey findings can be sent to media outlets upon request.