Germany OTC Drug Market Size

Germany OTC Drug Market Analysis

The Germany OTC Drug Market is expected to grow at a registered CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period, 2022-2027.

Amidst the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines were in high demand due to limited visits to hospitals and clinics. Due to a lack of medical assistance for general medical ailments, the use of telemedicine among the Germans for self-medication using analgesics, cough, cold, & flu products, vitamin, mineral, and supplement (VMS) products, and dermatology products became increasingly popular as a temporary solution. For instance, as per the article titled "Telemedicine in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multi-Professional National Survey" published in PubMed.gov in August 2020, several telemedical technologies are already in practice in Germany, and new approaches are being rapidly developed in response to the pandemic situation. The study further stated that the majority of participants evaluated telemedicine's importance in the crisis as high as 39%. Additionally, the demand for OTC medications rose significantly among community doctors and physicians due to the increased influx of patients. Moreover, to boost immunization among the populace, the demand for dietary supplements, antibiotics, and vitamins depicted an exponential rise. For instance, in March 2020, Sandoz, one of the largest medical providers, in Europe reported that it was increasing supplies of key antibiotics needed to respond to the COVID-19 crisis owing to the increased demand in the European countries. Therefore, initially the market growth was impacted due to supply chain disruptions and shortages of drugs owing to the nationwide lockdowns and trade restrictions, however, the OTC drug market in Germany is anticipated to gain traction over the coming years.

Furthermore, the major factors propelling the growth of the Germany OTC drug market include product innovation, expanding distribution channels, pharmaceutical companies' shift from Rx to OTC drugs, and rising self-medication among the Germans. Increasing healthcare costs demand better accessibility and affordability of healthcare services. Self-medication with non-prescription drugs has increased in the past years owing to its advantages, such as helping improve the accessibility and cost benefits of healthcare services. Thus, the country witnessed a shift in the trend toward self-medication. For instance, according to the study published in the BMC Public Health in November 2021 by Jingjing Ge, in Germany, 25.2% of caregivers self-medicated their children or adolescents. Vitamin preparations were most frequently used, with a weighted user prevalence of 4.7%, followed by cough and cold medicines (4.4%) and analgesics (3.7%). Thus, such factors are likely to boost the adoption of OTC drugs, thereby propelling the market's growth.

In addition, according to the data updated by the Association of the European Self-medication Industry in 2021/2022, non-prescription medicinal products account for one out of every two packages of medicines sold in Germany. The widespread use of over-the-counter medications has been linked to significant cost savings for healthcare providers. Furthermore, the presence of major global market players in Germany, as well as the strengthening foothold of local manufacturers, is expected to boost the market's growth. For instance, in February 2020, Stada, a German multinational, bought 15 well-known consumer health brands from GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) to bolster its over-the-counter drug business across Germany. As a result, all of these aforementioned factors are estimated to drive the market's growth.

However, incorrect self-diagnosis and the probability of self-abuse may hinder the growth of the market.