Which pharmacies offer high-quality medicines? Where is it cheaper: the battle of pharmacies

Today there are quite a lot of places where medicines are sold in every city. Each pharmaceutical company offers retail service, a wide selection of products and other range of services, dictating a certain pricing policy.

But it is important for an ordinary consumer to know the answer to two simple questions: where are the cheapest pharmacies in Moscow, and which of them sell really high-quality products? This is very relevant today. Therefore, it is worth considering them in more detail. Cheap pharmacies have the same quality and the same range, only the price for a similar drug may differ by two or even three times. And if we imagine that we are talking about systemic drugs that will have to be taken for a long time, then the issue of adequate cost becomes of utmost importance.

Let's call them by name

In 2017, the cheapest pharmacies in Moscow are:

• pharmacy "ZdravCity", st. Chermyanskaya, 2;
• "ABC-medicine" in Novogireevo, st. Lev Tolstoy, 10 building 1;
• "AptekaMos", Leningradsky Prospekt, 4a;
• "ePharmacy": st. Uralskaya, 1; 17th passage of Maryina Roshcha, 13; st. Masterkova, 3; Planernaya street, 12, building 1; Stroginsky Boulevard, 23; Bakuninskaya street, 1-3;
• Pharmacy "777", st. Krupskaya, 19/17;
• Pharmacy on Zelenogradskaya, Zelenogradskaya street, 17.

This is only part of the list, since many of these pharmacies have branches in different areas of the city. The addresses of the cheapest pharmacies in Moscow and their branches can be found on official websites.

Why are they cheaper?

Prices for pharmacy products do not arise at the whim of anyone, but are made up of several components:

• manufacturer prices;
• cost of delivery of drugs to the distributor’s warehouse;
• wholesale markup;
• distributor prices;
• prices of intermediaries (there may be several of them);
• retail markup (direct earnings of the pharmacy).

The price at the cheapest pharmacies in Moscow is attractive to buyers due to the fact that pharmaceutical companies prefer to enter into contracts for the supply of drugs directly with domestic manufacturing plants. They also turn to the services of federal distributors who specialize in transporting imported drugs and have all the necessary quality certificates, thus bypassing intermediaries who want to receive a percentage of each unit of production.

We need to curb our appetites

As already mentioned, one of the components of the price is the pharmacy markup. It is regulated by the state. That is, there is a threshold, for example, of 20-25% and no more, and for children's products - no more than 15%. As for such goods as hygiene items, medical equipment, orthopedic products, medicinal cosmetics, then the prices are market prices. The pharmacy company conducts its own marketing, as well as monitoring prices in the city and decides what price to charge. But if the price is raised, no one will buy the product.

The cost of goods and medications can change quite often. This is due, first of all, to the instability of the ruble. Delivery is becoming more expensive. Sometimes distributors want to make a profit and make an increased markup on goods that have already been purchased previously and are stored in a warehouse. But some pharmacy chains have found a solution to the problem here too - they receive a license to open their own warehouses and work directly with manufacturing plants, bypassing all intermediaries.

Therefore, when answering the question of which pharmacy is the cheapest in Moscow, it is necessary to highlight those pharmaceutical companies that have entered into agreements with bona fide distributors. This also applies to those that have their own warehouses for storing medicines purchased directly from the manufacturer.

Import is not always justified

Nowadays you can see a lot of advertisements for medical drugs on TV, mostly imported. But as many buyers have already seen, they are not always better than domestic medicines. Their effect is either identical, or Russian medicines are superior to advertised foreign drugs. Taking into account this fact, as well as the fact that customers include people of different income levels, the cheapest pharmacies in Moscow try to stock as many domestic analogues of imported drugs as possible, as well as high-end and budget-class generics.

The original branded drug is expensive. Generics produced under a patent, as a rule, are in no way inferior to them in quality and effectiveness. But the price is noticeably better. After all, manufacturers did not have to spend huge amounts of money over many years on testing and developing drugs. They just bought a patent, which is cheaper.

Who's first on the list?

Which pharmacy is the cheapest in Moscow? It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Even the price of drugs does not play a key role here. For example, such and such a pharmacy sells a certain drug cheaper than everyone else in the capital. But you have to go there through the whole of Moscow. Will the medicine end up being cheaper? It's hard to say. That is, in each specific case, one way or another, the pharmacy for a person will be the cheapest.

For example, take social institutions. Despite their name, for many buyers the word “social” will have nothing to do with cost. And prices may be higher than at a nearby point of sale of medicines, only with a different name. But for a certain category of the population, social pharmacies are more profitable. Why? They are given a social discount. These categories include:

• orphans;
• people of retirement age;
• liquidators of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant;
• disabled people, war veterans.

Therefore, when wondering where the cheapest pharmacy in Moscow is, you should pay attention to the availability of benefits. To receive a discount at a social institution, you must present a document confirming this right.

However, many pharmacy companies, even without a social name, also provide discounts to different categories of the population. As a rule, there is information about this on the stand in the buyer's hall, as well as in advertising messages.

The network always works more efficiently

Needless to say, medications are expensive. This is a huge business with many stakeholders involved. Pharmacy chains and outlets are only intermediaries in this chain. But since competition is pressing, there is a need to reduce the appetites of businessmen and offer medicines at more favorable prices. This can be achieved without losing profit only by increasing sales turnover. Therefore, many pharmacy companies began to work on a network basis. They open branches one after another, invest a lot of money at once in business development, and then return all the money spent with a good plus through high turnover.

But competition among chain pharmacies is also intensifying. I wonder what is the cheapest pharmacy chain in Moscow today? As practice shows, this is:

• network of social pharmacies;
• economy pharmacies (they are often located in clinics and medical institutions);
• online pharmacies.

However, it is worth mentioning that in economy pharmacies, as a rule, the assortment is not so rich. Some medications need to be ordered and waited. And online pharmacies can boast of their assortment. After all, he is huge. And the competitive price is determined by the fact that such a company saves on renting premises for a store, on paying employees, and so on.

Price is one thing, service is another.

Buyers are interested not only in the price of medicines, but also in such a form of service as delivery. Situations often occur when there is no time or opportunity to come for a purchase, and it is too expensive to trust such a matter to taxi drivers or someone else.

What is the cheapest pharmacy in Moscow with delivery? Almost everyone now works using this system. But before choosing the cheapest one, it is worth conducting a comparative analysis of the particular drug or drugs that you are going to buy. Pharmacies are like grocery stores. Milk may be cheaper, but sugar, for example, more expensive. The same goes for pharmacy chains. Some medicines are cheaper than others, while others are more expensive. When purchasing several types of medications, this is worth taking into account.

For the same reason, you should not ask your friends for advice: which pharmacy chain is the cheapest in Moscow. For example, many will immediately tell you social pharmacies. But still, first decide which category of beneficiaries you belong to and whether you belong at all, and also compare prices.

If you don't lie

In the competitive struggle, pharmacy chains not only want to be more popular due to low prices, but they are often disingenuous. By offering some drugs at relatively low prices, they increase the price of other drugs. And now the same “Mezim” or vitamin B12 is 100 rubles more expensive than its competitors.

The cheapest pharmacy in Moscow, according to reviews, is the Samson-Pharma pharmacy chain. It has been on the services market for a long time, and has always positioned itself as the most profitable for buyers. And for all medications. The pharmacy at the Dobryninskaya metro station (Losinovskaya street, 12) is also among the cheapest. The cost of drugs is at least 40-100 rubles lower.

The pharmacy at the Kurskaya metro station (next to the RAMS clinic) is considered inexpensive. This is Vorontsovo Pole Street, 14. However, it is even more profitable to buy medicines via the Internet.

Virtual pharmacies and competitive prices

Many buyers have begun to prefer shopping online. Before you go to virtual pharmacies, make sure that they are officially registered and, preferably, have been on the market for a long time. It doesn't hurt to read the reviews. People themselves will tell you which, in their opinion, is the cheapest online pharmacy in Moscow. Reviews about her can clarify a lot. But it is worth considering that opinions are subjective. It’s good if the writer specifically states what drug he bought, when and at what price. Please note that prices may change daily. In any case, you need to double-check all reviews.

There are many positive reviews about the website “AptekiMos”, Medlux, “Zdorov”, online pharmacy No. 1. The list could take a long time. The virtual method is convenient because you can see the entire range and compare prices. It's more convenient than running around all of Moscow. Yes, that would be unrealistic.

The disadvantage of online pharmacies is that many of them impose conditions on the cost of the order. For example, you need to buy for at least 500 rubles. But, fortunately, not all drugs are so expensive and are not needed in large quantities. Not all people spend significant amounts of money on medications. They take care of their health by paying more attention to proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.

Please consider shipping costs

The cheapest online pharmacy in Moscow, according to some people, is Cheap Online Pharmacy No. 1. It has its own warehouses, reliable and regular suppliers. Purchased medications are delivered by courier service. And the pharmacy also has its own pharmacist, who can be contacted by phone. However, do not forget that such a specialist is not a doctor. And it’s impossible to make diagnoses over the phone. Therefore, questions to the pharmacist can only be about what, for example, medications are available, but with a certain composition and principle of action.

When ordering medications from an online pharmacy, you should also check the delivery price. Taking this into account, it is possible that the final price for the purchased product will be much more expensive than in the one located next to the house. It is better to choose an online pharmacy that has warehouses in your area. Then delivery will be cheaper. The purchase will also be profitable if you buy many types of drugs.

Opinions vary

The cheapest pharmacies in Moscow, the names of which were presented above, are characterized by different reviews. Someone praises the “Good Pharmacy” on Kozhukhovskaya, emphasizing that you can buy there, including rare drugs for heart disease. Others praise Planet Health for its morning specials with deep discounts. The Anvis family pharmacy is also among those mentioned. Not only are markups low, but delivery is cheap - 70 rubles. And when purchasing goods for an amount of 850 rubles or more - it’s completely free.

Customers are satisfied with the CDL online pharmacy. It is good because it sells even cheap medicines, while other online competitors only accept orders from 500 rubles. The CDL online pharmacy delivers any, even the cheapest orders in Moscow for 150 rubles. If the order is from 150 to 450 rubles - 50 rubles delivery. And if the purchase is more than 450 rubles, they will deliver it for free.

And in small stalls, medicines can be even cheaper. But no one will give a guarantee of quality. It’s better not to risk your health, experts advise. Promoted pharmacy chains value their name, small pharmacy stalls open and close. They have nothing to lose.

What to believe?

You can see a variety of ratings on the Internet. They are probably created sometimes in someone’s specific interests. But you can't fool Muscovites. From word of mouth, they pass on the addresses of those pharmacies where the markups are minimal and there have never been problems with the quality of the drugs. The only negative is the queues. You always need patience to defend your right to get to the window. Perhaps the rating of the cheapest pharmacies in Moscow, published in Komsomolskaya Pravda, can be considered an impartial opinion. And here's the buyer's verdict. The cheapest pharmacies are:

• pharmacy point st. m. "Belyaevo", st. Miklouho-Maclay;
• pharmacy point st. metro station "Kantemirovskaya", Kantemirovskaya street;
• pharmacy st. m. “Pushkinskaya, Tverskoy 6-r;
• pharmacy st. metro station "Sokolniki", Preobrazhenskaya Square, Kolodezny Lane, 3.

The cheap ones also included pharmacies at the Dobryninskaya metro station (Losinovskaya street, 12) and at the Kurskaya metro station (next to the RAMS clinic), Vorontsovo Pole street, 14.

Let's not be pessimists

Although the state has allowed pharmacies to mark up no more than 20% on medicines, the cost of goods in the end, even in one pharmacy chain, can vary significantly. Because it depends on the time of purchase of drugs, the number of employees of the outlet, as well as the cost of renting the premises.

Judging by the responses, some citizens write that they noticed the following pattern: at first, prices in the pharmacy chain are lower than those of competitors, and then they gain momentum and catch up with them. Which one to choose? Among the profitable ones are the Stolichki pharmacies, which are advertised in the central media. Indeed, prices there are now some of the most competitive. But for how long, people wonder on Internet forums. There have never been and never will be universal cheap pharmacies, Muscovites say pessimistically. But let's still be optimistic.

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Even the healthiest people go to the pharmacy, and most of us use the services of pharmacists regularly. Where to go for medicines, what a modern pharmacy can offer and how the pharmacy help desk works - we will talk about this below.

There is a pharmacy for everyone

Until now, pharmacies with a traditional (albeit quite large) assortment, open from morning to evening, are the majority in Moscow. Nevertheless, some points have switched to selling a specialized range, for example, a homeopathic pharmacy offers a wide range of drugs to adherents of the corresponding method of treatment.

Considering the high employment of many Muscovites and the fact that medicine may be needed at any time, such a format as a 24-hour pharmacy is in demand, therefore, along with other search parameters, the reference book for pharmacies in Moscow on the medical portal, the site allows you to display those establishments that will serve you even at night.

The pharmacies section of our project includes large chains and individual pharmacies in Moscow: addresses, telephone numbers, nearest metro stations, opening hours. Most often, website visitors are interested in the phone number of a pharmacy or the address of the nearest pharmacy in one of the large chains.

Prices are lower, quality is higher

Today, competition in the Moscow pharmaceutical market is very high: the addresses of pharmacies alone take up dozens of pages. The average buyer cannot but rejoice at this state of affairs, because pharmacies compete for his attention by offering various discounts and bonuses. Most large companies have developed their own discount program, and it is really beneficial for their clients to purchase medications from one network over and over again. Particular attention should be paid to branches that cooperate with the capital government in the field of social projects: social pharmacy due to already low prices may not offer a corporate discount, but will provide a discount on a Muscovite social card.

Moscow pharmacies achieve price reductions by establishing direct cooperation with large suppliers, as well as purchasing drugs in large wholesale (relevant for large chains). There is another advantage to this: medicines come from a trusted, authoritative source of exceptional quality.

If you can’t reduce the price (or don’t want to), you can take it by the level of service. For example, a number of branches of the Samson-Pharma chain have implemented an electronic queue system, and in some pharmacies under the Rigla sign you can get professional advice from a cosmetologist or a specialist from a children's studio.

Online pharmacies - without leaving home

The online store format is very convenient, but cannot be fully applied in pharmaceuticals due to legal restrictions. That is, it is impossible to deliver medications to the buyer’s address, but you can deliver them to the nearest pharmacy. This is exactly how the largest online service in Russia, Apteka.ru, works: the online pharmacy transfers the client’s order to the supplier’s warehouse, and the courier takes it to the branch specified during registration.

The virtual purchase of medicines is convenient not only for the buyer, but also for the seller, which is why many Moscow companies have introduced the practice of online orders. The official website of pharmacies includes a catalog of medications, and sometimes instructions for them. Most often, payment upon receipt is provided, but some companies also accept online payments. Although you will still have to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine, it will take a minimum of time. Sometimes a separate window is organized for issuing such orders.

How Moscow pharmacy chains appeared

In the early 90s of the last century, the pharmaceutical industry in Russia, like many others, fell into decline. At that time, state official pharmacies, despite their enormous potential, suffered from poor management, which was most clearly expressed in a decrease in assortment and the emergence of a shortage of medicines. Some suppliers also added fuel to the fire by unreasonably raising prices or even selling counterfeit medicines.

It became obvious that the Moscow pharmaceutical market requires the creation of a new structure of pharmacies: well-organized, modern, guaranteeing protection against counterfeiting. The first of these organizations was the GorZdrav pharmacy chain, which today has more than half a thousand branches. Later, the market was replenished by the companies Samson-Pharma, Norma and others.

As for state official pharmacies, they still waited for the reorganization, but much later - in 2005. The updated and re-equipped branches were united into the State Unitary Enterprise "Capital Pharmacies", and the improvement in the range of the network had a beneficial effect on the provision of medicines to all medical government institutions in Moscow.

Sooner or later, every person is faced with the need to go to the pharmacy. The reason may be minor - to buy cotton wool or vitamins, or it may be serious - to purchase expensive drugs on which someone’s life depends. Pharmacies are represented by various organizations that differ from others in pricing, quality of consultation, and online service. Which pharmacies should you avoid, and which ones really provide professional services? About this in our article.

"36.6"

A permanent representative of the highest rankings of Moscow pharmacy chains is “36.6”. The company has earned the trust of customers thanks to the convenience of service: there is no need to stand in queues, face the lack of necessary medications, or choose a pharmacy that is far away when filling out the order form. The possibility of an online purchasing service allows you to place an order without leaving home, choosing exactly the product that suits all parameters and price. After confirming the purchase, it is enough to come to the pharmacy closest to the buyer and pick up the already prepared package of drugs.

In total, there are about 1,120 points of sale of goods in the capital, the central representative offices are located at the following addresses:

• st. Pokrovka, 1/13, building 1;
• Red Square, 3/2/2/1;
• Lubyansky Prospect, 27/1, building 1;
• Sretensky Boulevard, 7.

"Rigla"

The popular pharmacy chain "Rigla" in Moscow is one of the leaders in the pharmaceutical industry thanks to its modern approach to service, competent marketing policy and unconditional quality guarantee of both the drugs sold and the consultations provided by pharmacy pharmacists.

Rigla began its history back in 2001. The main motto of the company is customer convenience and an innovative approach to service. It was this pharmacy chain that was the first to place goods on open shelves and introduced an online drug ordering service.

Addresses of Rigla pharmacies in the city center:

• st. Nikolskaya, 8/1, building 1;
• Manezhnaya sq., 1;
• st. Pyatnitskaya, 9/28 building 1;
• Goncharny pr-d, 6, p. 1.

In addition, Rigla is the owner of several well-known pharmacy brands, such as Pharmacia, Zhivika, and Family Pharmacy Panacea. By the way, more than 1,700 points of sale have already been opened in Moscow and throughout the country.

This chain operates a loyalty program that provides great benefits to regular customers; promotions and discounts are periodically offered.

"Evalar"

A special place among Moscow pharmacy chains belongs to the Evalar company, which supplies the medical market with its own drugs, developed using the latest technologies and exclusively on a natural basis.

Each pharmacy employs highly qualified specialists: pharmacists, nutritionists, and nutritionists who can give free consultation directly at the point of sale. Some central branches employ Consis pharmacist robots, which increase the speed of order processing, delivering the required product to the buyer in less than 10 seconds.

In addition to standard medicines, there is a wide selection of active food additives and natural cosmetics created on the basis of medicinal plants of Altai.

In total, there are about 30 pharmacies in Moscow, the central addresses include:

• st. Tverskaya, 4;
• Zubovsky Boulevard, 13, building 1;
• st. Myasnitskaya, 24/7, building 2;
• Zatsepsky Val, 14.

"Doctor Stoletov"

Another pharmacy chain that is almost always positive is Doctor Stoletov.

A convenient online ordering service, the possibility of courier delivery, a wide range of certified products, a large selection of medical instruments, products and consumables - these are the main advantages that push the company to a high level and help it get ahead of its competitors.

For 20 years now, the Doctor Stoletov pharmacy chain has been operating in the pharmaceutical industry in Russia. But it’s never too late to develop, so in 2016 the process of rebranding the company began, the results of which clients have already noticed. This is a significant expansion of the range of medicines and related products, an updated interior and design of individual pharmacies. Customers now enjoy a more comfortable atmosphere.

The total number of Doctor Stoletov pharmacy points is more than 70. There are pharmacy points at the following addresses:

• st. Arbat, 28/1, building 1;
• st. Pokrovka, 11;
• house 16, building 2;
• st. Tverskaya, 22.

"Pharmacies GORZDRAV"

An active player in the pharmaceutical market is the GORZDRAV pharmacy chain, which began its journey more than 25 years ago, at the very beginning as a drug manufacturer, and then as a seller.

“GORZDRAV Pharmacies” position themselves as socially oriented. Indeed, the pricing policy of this company differs significantly from others in favor of the consumer. In addition, pharmacies constantly hold promotions and offer discounts, and together with partner companies they often give away certificates and gifts.

More than 120 pharmacies are already open in Moscow, and this figure is growing every month. In the central part of the city you can visit “GORZDRAV” at the following addresses:

• Nikitsky Boulevard, 9;
• Bolshoi Ovchinnikovsky Lane, 12, bldg. 1;
• st. Verkhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya, 7, building 1;
• st. Sushchevskaya, 19, p.4.

"Dialogue"

Pharmacists of the Dialog pharmacy chain in Moscow are not only reliable sellers of medical drugs, but also good friends for many families.

The company skillfully combines wholesale and retail trade, which means that Dialog’s partners are also medical institutions. This fact once again confirms that this pharmacy chain stands for top-class quality and guaranteed service.

Dialog entered the market in 2003 as a pharmaceutical distributor of VITTA Company.

You can place an order on the official website, or you can buy it at one of the sales points. There are more than 70 Dialog branches in Moscow, the addresses of the central sales points are as follows:

• st. Gilyarovskogo 36, building 1a;
• st. 6th Kozhukhovskaya, 13;
• st. Aviamotornaya, 6, building 1;
• Yablochkova st., 16.

"Samson-Pharma"

The well-known pharmacy chain “Samson-Pharma” does everything to ensure that visitors are not only satisfied with the service, but also recover faster after visiting the pharmacy. Particular attention is paid to people who need medications regularly - these are patients with diabetes, hypertension, ischemia, hepatitis, etc. Special conditions for purchasing medications are provided for them.

Such pharmacies are equipped with electronic queuing machines and waiting areas, which greatly simplifies the functioning of the organization.

In total, there are more than 70 pharmacies in the city; in the central part of the capital they are located at the following addresses:

• d.19;
• st. Nikolskaya 17, building 1;
• Zemlyanoy Val, 44;
• Ostozhenka st., 25.

"Capital Pharmacies"

One of the large pharmacy chains in Moscow, which is state-owned, is called “Capital Pharmacies”. Initially, residents of the capital knew “Capital Pharmacies” as a state unitary enterprise, however, due to the reorganization, it is now a joint-stock company.

The opening of the network occurred on the initiative of the Moscow City Property Department, and it still closely monitors the company’s activities.

The Moscow pharmacy chain “Capital Pharmacies” has more than 180 points of sale throughout the city and region.

Addresses of central branches:

• st. Litvina-Sedogo, 13, building 4;
• st. Polyanka Bolshaya, 65/74, building 1;
• st. Novorogozhskaya, building 14, building 1;
• st. Abelmanovskaya, 6, building 1.

The proper location of pharmacies allows you to purchase the necessary goods anywhere in the city. In addition, Stolichnye Pharmacies constantly have promotions on seasonal medications, cosmetics and nutritional supplements.

Thus, the Moscow pharmacy market fully satisfies the needs of city residents; everyone will be able to choose for themselves exactly the network that will suit them in all respects.

The list of 100 largest enterprises in Russia includes several pharmacy chains. The largest companies in terms of profit, included in the Top 7, are the companies ASNA, Rigla, Pharmacy Chain 36.6, Implozia, Planet Zdorovya, Erkofarm Group of Companies, Neo-Pharm.

The last few years, amid the crisis, have shown the dynamics of falling demand for medicines. A study of the pharmaceutical retail market conducted by the analytical company KMPG in 2016 marked the beginning of a turning point - for the first time in several years, there was a positive increase in the revenue of pharmacy chains.

An analysis of the table shows that Russian pharmacy chains in the TOP 10 have strengthened their positions in the market. Their total share increased to 45%. The revenue ratio of 2016 to 2015 increased by 26.6%. These figures indicate ongoing market consolidation.

RNC Pharma, a well-known analytical observer, presented a rating of Russian pharmacy chains based on the results of the 1st quarter of 2017.

Table 2. Top 7 pharmacy chains by share in the retail market

	Pharmacy chain	Central office location	Number of points as of 01.04. 2017	Market share based on the results of the 1st quarter of 2017
						The market as a whole, without LLO
	Pharmacy chain 36.6
	Implosion
	Planet Health
	Erkafarm Group of Companies

If we compare the results of 2016 and the 1st quarter of 2017, we can note some serious changes in the TOP-7. Rigla was ahead of Pharmacy Chain 36.6, Raduga flew out of the coveted seven - its place was taken by Neo-Pharm.

According to researchers, the pharmacy market is close to saturation - today it is increasingly difficult to find suitable space in places with a sufficient amount of traffic. Global investment programs promise certain opportunities, such as the renovation project in Moscow. However, it is local in nature. Increased interest in the pharmaceutical market from non-pharmaceutical retail promises a serious increase in competition in the foreseeable future.

Table 3. Main sources of increased competition in the market during 2016

	Aggressive pricing policy of players
	The existing high concentration of pharmacy chains in the regions where the company operates
	Future strengthening of the geographical presence of local players
	Development of new formats by other players (pharmacy-supermarkets, discounters)
	The emergence of new players, mainly regional ones, in the areas where the company operates
	The emergence of new players, mainly federal ones, in the places of presence of the company
	Business diversification by other players (for example, launching your own production or distribution)

That is why leading players are rushing to capture the remaining space in the market - in 2017, according to a KMPG survey, 90% of large retail chains plan to expand their presence by opening new sales points. The geographical placement of pharmacy points is carried out on the basis of preliminary marketing research.

Some players speak out about the need to limit the market. More than 58% of pharmacy chain managers are in favor of legislatively limiting the number of pharmacies in the country, following the example of Western European countries: France, Spain and Germany.

There cannot be an oversupply of pharmacies in Russia - Nadezhda Sharavskaya, deputy head of the department for control of the social sphere and trade of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), expresses her disagreement with the heads of pharmacy chains. This is a commercial market, pharmacies are opening, which means they are profitable and there is demand, she argues. Many pharmacies operate in the capitals of the constituent entities; the restriction will lead to higher prices and interfere with competition, from her point of view.

Let's look at large Russian pharmacy chains that are considered leaders in the pharmaceutical market.

1. ASNA

ASNA is an association of independent pharmacies, which includes more than 5,000 pharmacies in many cities of Russia. The ASNA company is a new format among pharmacy chains, since the members of the association are independent pharmacies and pharmacy chains united by a common goal - to make medicines, medical equipment and related products more accessible to customers. Today, the territory of the Association extends far beyond the capital, occupying the territory from the south to Kamchatka. ASNA is present in more than 100 cities and more than 60 constituent entities of the Federation. Regional representative offices have been opened in Nizhny Novgorod, Izhevsk, and Kazan. The company has 150 marketing contracts with manufacturers.

Legal address: 125368, Moscow, st. Mitinskaya, house 33, building 1

2. Rigla

Founded in 2001, the national pharmacy chain is the second largest in Russia by sales volume. As of December 2016, the network has 1,769 retail outlets in 47 regions of Russia. Rigla represents the retail segment of the business of the Protek Group of Companies, the largest pharmaceutical holding in Russia. The pharmacy chain's assortment includes 18 thousand assortment items, of which about 60% are parapharmaceutical products. The Rigla pharmacy chain includes 1,768 pharmacies at the end of 12 months of 2016. Pharmacies under the Be Healthy! brand. and Zhivika operate as discounters. At the end of 2016, there were 1,214 discount pharmacies in the network.

Legal address: 115201, Moscow, st. Chermyanskaya, 2

Information about the owners: parent company "Protek"

Capitalization: 23 billion rubles.

3. Pharmacy chain 36.6

PJSC Pharmacy Chain 36.6, founded in 1991, is a leading Russian company in the retail trade sector of health and beauty products. In January 2016, the largest shareholders of the Group and the controlling shareholders of A5 Pharmacy Retail Limited (the parent company of the A5 pharmacy chain) reached preliminary agreements on the merger of pharmacy chains. The merger was completed in December 2016 as part of an additional issue of shares of PJSC Pharmacy Chain 36.6, which remained the parent company of the merged group.

Legal address: 121096, Moscow, st. Vasilisa Kozhina, 1

Information about the owners: Major shareholders as of 2016:

• Palesora Ltd. (Cyprus, owners - Vladimir Kintsurashvili and Ivan Saganelidze) - 60.58%;
• Walgreens Boots Alliance - 15%.

Chairman of the Board of Directors - Ivan Saganelidze

General Director - Vladimir Kintsurashvili

Capitalization- 16.6 billion rubles.

Gross profit in 2016 was 10,766 million rubles.

Promotion price - 6.99 rubles.

4. Implosion

Implosia LLC was registered in 1991. Since 1993, the main activity has been trade in medicines. In addition to our own pharmacies, goods are sold through pharmacies of other legal entities operating under a partnership agreement. Sales of products through the pharmacy chain are carried out in the following regions of Russia: Samara, Saratov, Penza, Orenburg, Ulyanovsk regions, Moscow, Bashkiria, Tatarstan. At the moment, in Tatarstan and Bashkiria, Implosia is represented only by partners, in other regions - both by its own pharmacies and by pharmacies of partner companies.

In 2003, the company was divided in order to minimize economic and legal risks into several companies: Farmerspektivu LLC, I-Trans LLC, I-Cube, Implosia-Finance LLC and others.

Legal address: 432072, ULYANOVSK, PR. GENERAL TYULENEV, 7

Information about the owners: Implosion has an opaque ownership structure. In the largest operator of the holding - LLC "Pharmperspektiva" ("FP") - Grant Bezruchenko controlled 27.19%. 24% of the company belonged to his brother Valery Bezruchenko. The brothers' partners in "FP" were Dmitry Podgornov (27.19%) and Oleg Teplyakov (21.6%). After the death of the company’s founder, Grant Bezruchenko, in 2015, his share was purchased by the beneficiaries.

Capitalization: 15 billion rubles.

5. Planet Health

LLC "Planet Health" is one of the most actively growing players in the Russian pharmaceutical retail industry. Among the regions that the network is developing, the Perm Territory, the Kirov Region and the Udmurt Republic remain key. Moreover, in Perm, “Planet Health” is an unconditional monopolist. The network also operates in Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and other large regions.

Legal address: 614068, PERM REGION, CITY OF PERM, LENIN STREET, 83/34

Information about the owners: Founder - individual Alexey Evgenievich Kislov

6. Erkafarm Group of Companies (Doctor Stoletov & Ozerki)

The ERKAFARM group of companies was founded in 1994. Today, the group includes more than 360 pharmacies in 12 regions of the Russian Federation, operating in various formats from discounters to pharmaceutical markets. "ERKAFARM" includes several pharmacy chains: "Doctor Stoletov", "Ozerki", "Good Pharmacy", "People's Pharmacy" and "Pharmacy No. 1". The total number of employees of ERKAFARM Group of Companies is more than 3,500 people.

Legal address: 107005, Moscow, Bakuninskaya Street, 14

Information about the owners: Individual, Ivan Givievich Saganelidze, Prestige Market LLC, Proftekhgroup LLC, Russian Trust Alliance “Your Savings” LLC, Sana-MT LLC, Enterprises Service LLC

7. Neo-farm

The history of NEOPHARM Group of Companies began as a small family business - with several pharmacy kiosks in the Krasnogorsk district of the Moscow region. Today, NEOPHARM Group of Companies includes almost 300 pharmacies under two brands - NEOPHARM and STOLICHKI, with more than 3,000 employees and over 25 million customers a year.

Legal address: 123423, Moscow, Otkrytoe highway, 2, bldg. 12