By KYIV. Sept 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The main trend of the pharmaceutical market since the beginning of the year has been the return of pre-war growth rates, according to Serhiy Kolchyk, head of the analytical department of the pharmaceutical company Darnitsa.
“The main trend is the return of pre-war growth rates. The growth of the retail market of medicines in monetary terms for the seven months of 2023 compared to the seven months of 2021 was 19.6%; for the corresponding period of 2022 this figure was minus 4.41%,” he said, commenting on analyst data.
Kolchyk noted that “in certain periods since the beginning of 2023, market growth rates exceed similar indicators in 2021.”
According to the expert, the main drivers of the increase are the inflationary component (the general increase in prices for medicines) and the relative restoration of the solvency of the population to the level of 2021.
“Consumers are gradually regaining the ability to buy more expensive drugs,” he said.
Kolchyk noted that at present, pricing in the pharmaceutical market is still most influenced by the price of raw materials, the price of logistics, storage of products, the price of electricity, as well as the solvency of buyers.
Commenting on changes in the assortment of the retail pharmaceutical market, Kolchyk noted that in the assortment structure over the seven months of 2023, there has been a 30% increase in the share of dietary supplements compared to the same period last year: currently, dietary supplements make up 10% of the total retail assortment.
In addition, Kolchyk noted an increase in the share of cosmetic products in the pharmacy assortment by 20%, to 4.1% of the total assortment, a reduction in the share of medical products by 4%, to 6.4% of the total assortment, as well as a reduction in the share of medicines by 3%, to almost 80% of the total assortment.
Commenting on the development of the dietary supplements segment, Kolchyk noted that the largest increase in percentage terms is observed in the categories of dietary supplements containing iodine (Potassium iodide). This segment grew by 407.5% in monetary terms compared to seven months of 2022.
In addition, since the beginning of 2023, sales of dietary supplements intended to regulate the respiratory system have more than doubled, and sales of products supporting the functions of the liver, bile ducts and gallbladder have also increased by 84.2%.
