The 22nd Pharmacy Summit Effective Pharmacy Chain Management: an ambitious meeting for the pharmacy market

A plenary session opened the main day of the 22nd Pharmcy Summit Effective Pharmacy Chain Management. Together with Anna Yermolaeva, AlphaRM General Director, participants analyzed digital parameters of the pharmacy market and the state of the industry. Other speakers offered their honest opinions on the data provided and their visions for the market's development.

Aleksandr Kuzin, General Director, the 36.6 pharmacy chain, moderated the discussion. Speakers had a lively discussion focused on finance instruments, the growth of the number of pharmacies, and factors that pharmacy chains should consider in their business strategies.

Denis Remenyako, General Director, FC Grand Capital, drew everyone's attention to the question: so, how many pharmacies does the market need? According to the speaker, businesses now have to think about performance and the finance position of their chains.

Adelya Kalmetyeva, General Director, Pharmland, asked questions to Evgeny Nifantyev, member of the State Duma Healthcare Committee about tax hikes. As Ms. Kalmetyeva pointed out, no matter if a chain operates regionally or nationally, its owners have to build up effective teams, set clear goals and work toward them smoothly.

Answering the questions, Mr. Nifantyev reminded everyone that the government's objective is to make medicinal drugs accessible. If it sees drugs becoming less accessible for an average citizen for any reason, it has to regulate the issue. If the balance is maintained, it does not interfere.

Anatoly Tentser, a representative from the leading Russian e-com player, Director for Development, Katren RPC, said that although e-com earnings are growing, costs are growing too. Last year, Apteka.ru stayed at the same place it had been in 2022, regarding both earnings and units sold. The statistical growth also includes growing costs that go toward the price end consumers have to pay.

Rustam Shubenok, Deputy General Director, ASNA Group, offered his opinion regarding entrance to new markets and new regions. He believes that in order to make the decision, players lack information on nation-wide chains' earning by year. In order to develop, we have to understand what is happening in existing chains, keep in mind statistics for large cities and sales dynamics there. Furthermore, marketplace earnings should provisionally reach RUB 4.7 trillion in 2023, so we have to keep that in mind and consider them when planning and strategizing: they are powerful competitors.