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Pharmacy deaths in Saxony: Alarming numbers and urgent need for action!
The number of pharmacies continues to decline in Saxony; Economic problems and closures endanger the supply of pharmaceuticals.
Pharmacy deaths in Saxony: Alarming numbers and urgent need for action!
Something is currently happening in Saxony that directly affects many of us: the number of pharmacies continues to decline. As we rely on pharmacies to support our health, more and more news reports are reporting closures. In the first half of 2025, eleven pharmacies in Saxony closed, while only two new ones opened. This clearly shows that the industry is not doing well. There were already two closures and three new openings in the third quarter, which further aggravated the situation. View reports that at the end of 2024 there were still 876 pharmacies in Saxony - 115 fewer than ten years ago.
And the problems are not just a regional issue. Across Germany, the number of pharmacies fell by 238 to a total of 16,803 in the first half of 2025. It is noteworthy that around one in six pharmacy locations in Germany has been closed in the last ten years. The reasons for this development are manifold: cost pressure, problems finding successors and increasing competitive pressure are just some of the challenges that pharmacists are faced with.
Economic situation of pharmacists
Added to this is the unfair competition from online pharmacies that offer discounts that brick-and-mortar pharmacies cannot offer. “Pharmacists are subject to strict controls, which puts additional strain on our business,” explains one affected pharmacist. There has been no fee adjustment since 2013, although inflation and personnel costs in the industry have increased by around 30 percent. This is not without consequences on the balance sheet, as the profit from trading in medicines is now only one percent of sales.
An outcry from the industry
The pharmacists' concerns have not gone unheard: The Saxon Pharmacists' Association is calling for economic stabilization to prevent further closures. A postcard campaign with over 20,000 cards was launched to draw politicians' attention to the disappearance of pharmacies. With this cry for help, pharmacists are hoping for a government emergency aid program that is urgently needed.
In addition, Thomas Dittrich, a prominent representative of the industry, is calling for more places to study pharmacy in Saxony. He emphasizes that many graduates migrate to other federal states or to industry, which further exacerbates the situation. “We urgently need new talent who have a good knack for the pharmacy,” said Dittrich.
Federal Health Minister Nina Warken is now planning to allow pharmacies to offer more services in the future, such as vaccinations and preventive examinations. However, higher pharmacy remuneration is unlikely to come into force this year, which will further complicate the already tense situation.
What remains for the future? Pharmacists fight for their businesses every day and the industry is under pressure. With the right measures, the market could be stabilized and a decline in the number of pharmacies could be stopped. The demands for reform are therefore clear: action is required now. Further information and developments on this topic can also be found at German business news.