“The market has reset We would like to see the same figures as last year, we are on schedule since the beginning of the year. We did not open any more pharmacies, we did not expand. We’ve got plans but it is very much up to whether we can find licenses to buy. Last year was a year that gave some hope, so people are not selling. We’ve got the intention, but it needs to meet something concrete,” Paul Negoita, manager of Iris Pharm, told ZF.
The COVID-19 pandemic stopped deals, as pharmacies focused on preserving market share.
There are about 8,100 pharmacies in Romania, 27% of which or more than 2,200 held by the top five actors on the market by number of pharmacies. There are also regional chains owned by pharmacists, which inly expand within one county or in the nearby regions.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)