Having a pharmacy around the corner seems like a given, but pharmacies are becoming increasingly rare. At the end of 2025, Germany had only 16,601 locations, 440 fewer than the year before. The ABDA (Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists) cites several factors driving this decline, as costs, fees, staffing, and mail-order pharmacies are shifting the market. Access to medication is thus becoming a practical, everyday problem for many people, as distances to pharmacies are increasing in many places. (welt: 13.01.26).
Pharmacies continue to close, even if the pace slows somewhat
The ABDA (Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists) reports 502 closures and only 62 new openings in 2025, although the decline has slowed slightly compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the number has reached a historic low: “The lowest number of pharmacies in almost 50 years has now been reached – in 1977, there were 16,374 pharmacies in East and West Germany combined.” This further diminishes the prospect of a widespread pharmacy network, and rural areas are feeling the effects first.
Since 2013, one in five pharmacies has closed. Local access to medication is becoming increasingly rare, especially outside major cities. ABDA President Thomas Preis says: “This means that more and more people have to travel ever greater distances to reach the nearest pharmacy.” For access to medication, it’s not just the distance that matters, but also the availability of drugs and advice in acute cases. Those who need medication quickly experience distance as a real time factor.
Fees, Costs, and Reform: The Dispute over Financing
Preis criticizes the current political approach because, in his view, the fees no longer reflect the actual costs. He points to the system change to a fixed fee per package 22 years ago, while there has only been one increase since then. He also emphasizes: “Since the last increase in the fixed fee in 2013, costs in pharmacies have risen by 65 percent.” For many businesses, this makes remuneration a core problem, because rising expenses do not automatically generate higher revenues.
The coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD stipulates an increase in pharmacy fees to €9.50, yet this point remains unaddressed in the current reform, according to Preis. This particularly affects smaller pharmacies, as they benefit less from economies of scale. If fees stagnate, investment capacity decreases, and modernization becomes a strain.
Succession Planning, Succession, and the Pressure from Mail-Order Pharmacies
A second bottleneck lies in succession planning, as many owners struggle to find a buyer when retirement approaches. This often leads to the pharmacy’s permanent closure, even though the local community needs the location. At the same time, skilled workers are drawn to industrial or hospital pharmacies, where job security and higher incomes are often more attractive. The result is a shortage of new owners and staff.
Mail-order pharmacies are exacerbating structural change, while online ordering is convenient for many customers. Mail-order pharmacies like DocMorris and Shop Apotheke view the situation less dramatically, pointing to their extensive reach. The European Association of Online Pharmacies (EAEP) argued in a previous paper that closures disproportionately affect densely populated areas, preventing a fundamental collapse of healthcare provision. However, in practice, the combination of delivery, emergency care, and consultation is crucial, which is why medications cannot always be postponed indefinitely.
Locally, the question remains: what role should pharmacies play in the healthcare system in the future? Especially as digital models gain in importance. As online retail grows, competition for sales intensifies and brick-and-mortar stores become more vulnerable. At the same time, increased online sales could help bridge supply gaps in specific areas, provided delivery remains reliable.