Pharmacy sales in the first quarter of 2023 amounted to 42.3 billion UAH in money terms and 309.8 million packs in kind, the Business Credit company told the agency.
At the same time, according to the company, in the fourth quarter of 2022 pharmacy sales of 39.5 billion UAH or 308.7 million packs.
The sales increase in monetary terms the company’s analysts explain the growth in weighted average retail price – for three months the average price of goods rose by 8.3 UAH.
In monetary terms the leaders of pharmacy sales turnover in the first quarter were mineral water (+17.3%). At the same time the prices in this group of goods rose by 9.45%. In addition, among the leaders of turnover were dietary supplements (+13.6%), with prices up 5.1% and demand up 8%.
The medicinal cosmetics segment (10.5%) grew in monetary terms in the first quarter of 2023.
In other product groups, the turnover in the first quarter increased slower than the market, or declined at all.
At the same time, the company’s analysts forecast growth of turnover in pharmacy sales due to inflation, rising prices and changes in consumption patterns amid stagnating consumer demand.
At the same time, according to the company, by the end of 2022 the retail pharmacy sales fell by 9.7% in volume terms to 1.2 billion units against 1.417 billion in 2021.
In monetary terms, pharmacy sales in 2022 rose 13.4% to 143.2 billion.
“The increase in turnover in monetary terms was primarily due to high inflation. In the structure of pharmacy sales, inflation was 18% on the background of retail price growth (25.6%). Own price growth led to an increase in turnover in monetary terms against the background of falling consumer demand,” the company states.
