Germany's Pharmacy Numbers Hit Lowest Level in Nearly 50 Years

Closures accelerate due to underfunding, rising costs, and staffing shortages, threatening access to local pharmaceutical care.

The number of pharmacies in Germany fell to 17,041 by the end of 2024, the lowest since 1978, with a 3% decline from the previous year.
Germany's pharmacy density is now 20 per 100,000 residents, significantly below the EU average of 32 per 100,000.
Key reasons for closures include financial pressure, difficulties in finding successors, and competition from foreign online pharmacies.
Pharmacy associations warn that underfunding, stagnant reimbursement rates, and rising operational costs have made running a pharmacy increasingly unviable.
Local access to pharmacies is particularly strained in regions like Gelsenkirchen and rural areas, where some communities now lack any pharmacy services.