in Summer, experts expect a further decline in sales.
At the end of may, the revenue of Russian pharmacies fell by 14% over the previous month. This is evidenced by the materials Group DSM, which acquainted “Izvestia”. Reduction of demand for drugs may talk about the economy due reduction of incomes, but most likely it is due to a number of other reasons, experts say. For example, before leaving in isolation a purchase medicines for the future and are now using stocks. In addition, due to continuous stay at home and frequent hand washing people less sick.
In may, the Russian pharmacies sold drugs to 75.3 billion rubles in retail prices. Compared to April, the market capacity has decreased by 14%, calculated by analysts of DSM Group. Compared to may last year, the revenues of pharmacies has decreased not so considerably — 2.1%.
the Russians began to buy less drugs of all categories, with the exception of antiparasitic drugs, insecticides and repellents (their sales increased by 0.5%). Most reduced sales of group “Preparations for treatment of diseases of the respiratory system” (-28,1% relative to April), “Anticancer drugs and immunomodulators” (-26,1%), and “Antibacterials for systemic use” (-23,4%).
Similar trends occur in the market of biologically active additives (BAA). In may pharmacy had sold 22.4 million packs of these funds was 5.1 billion rubles. In terms of value is 10.9% less than in April, in real terms — by 14.9% less.
Earlier sales of drugs in Russia, by contrast, significantly increased. In March, the pharmacy earned a record 127,3 billion rubles. This is a quarter with superfluous more than in February (100,8 billion rubles) and 46% more than in March last year. Pharmacy sales of medicines in April are estimated at 87.6 billion. This is 31.2% less than in March, but still higher than April of last year by 4.7%. Partly to retain pharmacists helped increase prices by an average of 7.6%, wrote “Izvestia”.
a Further fall in revenue is inevitable, says the Executive Director of the Russian Association of pharmacy chains Nelli Ignatieva. The demand in summer periods for drugs has a pattern of seasonal incidence always, she explained. However, on the background of the opening Internet Commerce OTC drugs pharmacies no grounds for predictions for their closure, he said.
news about a significant decrease in demand may suggest a crisis to reduce consumption, but this conclusion is not always true, said the President of the marketers Guild-Igor Berezin. Fluctuations of sales are strongly associated with atypical period of self-isolation, he explained. For example, frequent hand washing, observance of a distance and other hygienic��x procedures could protect the Russians not only from coronavirus infection, but also from other diseases, suggested the expert.
In the March-April many people stocked store medications that are take regularly, suggests the head of the Union of consumers of Russia Peter Shelishch. Accordingly, now the purchase is not necessary, and in sales a marked decline.
the sharp growth of demand for pharmaceutical products may be followed by a marked decline, warned a member of the Guild of marketers Nicholas Corot. Before leaving for home a made the purchase, even with the stock, and now long time don’t need drugs, he explained. Of course, part of the demand can be compensated by the recently resolved e-Commerce over-the-counter drugs, but only slightly.
the Observed decline in sales is a “rollback” excessive demand, considers, in turn, associate Professor of REU them. G. V. Plekhanov Alexander Timofeev. Previously the engine of revenue growth was increased demand for drugs from SARS, immunomodulators and antimicrobials, he said. It is unlikely that the market volume will be reduced, if only for the short term, he said. Most of the range belongs to the category of inelastic goods (economists call inelastic demand, which does not depend on the level of prices, income of buyers and other factors), in connection with which there is growth even in times of crisis, said Alexander Timofeev. In addition, the market is very heterogeneous depending on the region, said the expert.
However, even if adverse for pharmacies scenario, the market will definitely support a resolution of Internet Commerce drugs, said the expert. The law on distance selling of drugs, President Vladimir Putin signed on 3 April. According to the document, pharmacies will not be able to deliver only narcotic and psychotropic medicines and medicines with volume fraction of ethyl alcohol more than 25%. At the same time to bring the drugs is permitted only to pharmacists.
Anna Ivushkina
