Amazon sees regular progress in magnificence, private care and OTC gross sales in Europe

Amazon’s power within the European well being and wonder sector was reaffirmed within the first quarter of 2025. In France alone, the U.S. big reported a 43% gross sales enhance, following a 44% rise in 2024, in accordance with figures from well being information analytics agency Iqvia, shared with AFP.

“Three-quarters of the merchandise offered by Amazon are new to the European market, primarily in dermo-cosmetics, the place margins are greater,” emphasised Iqvia. This development displays the broader surge in e-commerce for over-the-counter (OTC) well being merchandise throughout Europe, which “is exhibiting sturdy progress in all international locations.” But, on-line gross sales stay secondary to conventional brick-and-mortar pharmacy channels, particularly in France, in accordance with the corporate.

The tempo of progress differs throughout Europe: Spain noticed the best enhance in on-line OTC and private care gross sales at 25%, forward of Poland (+18%), Italy (+16%), and Germany (+11%).

Slower market penetration in France

France noticed a 6% rise in on-line orders; slower than in different international locations, however forward of the three.5% progress in conventional brick-and-mortar pharmacy gross sales.

So far as market share are involved, “on-line pharmacies signify roughly 2% of the overall in France and three% if we add Amazon, so it stays comparatively confidential,” stated Paul Reynolds, an knowledgeable at Iqvia France.

With a dense nationwide community of round 22,000 pharmacies, France maintains a stronghold on the sector. By legislation, solely pharmacist-operated pharmacies are permitted to promote medicines.

In France, as in Italy and Spain, on-line gross sales are restricted to non-prescription medicines — generally referred to as OTC (over-the-counter) merchandise.

Germany ranks first in on-line gross sales in Europe

In Germany and the UK, on-line pharmacies are allowed to promote prescription medicines. This extra liberal strategy additionally applies in different European international locations just like the Netherlands, the Nordic nations, and Switzerland.

In keeping with Iqvia, Germany is the European nation with the biggest market share for magnificence, private care and OTC on-line gross sales (20%), forward of Italy (8%), the place Amazon opened a parapharmacy initially of the yr, Poland (8%), Belgium (6%) and Spain (5%).