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Read original →Where ePharma Is Heading
Online drug sales in Russia reached 367 billion rubles, but are approaching a growth ceiling. Why the prescription drug experiment failed and where pharmacy e-commerce is headed.
A Full-Fledged Sales Channel
Online has become an important part not only of the food or apparel market, but also of pharmaceuticals. The pharmacy segment here is developing according to the same logic as the rest of e-commerce: customers are used to searching for products online, comparing prices, placing orders in advance, and choosing a convenient pickup method.
By the early 2020s, this channel had already become quite significant. For instance, by the end of 2019, an online pharmacy—Apteka.ru—entered the ranks of Russia's largest online retailers for the first time: its online sales volume then reached 34.2 billion rubles. For comparison, the rating leader, Wildberries, exceeded 210 billion rubles.
In subsequent years, online only strengthened its position. By 2025, pharmacy e-commerce—combining medications and parapharmaceuticals—reached about 367 billion rubles, and its share stood at 15.9% of the market. The largest players in remote ordering, according to DSM Group data, are Apteka.ru (volume—120.3 billion rubles, +31% year-on-year), Uteka (45.1 billion rubles, +85%), and Zdravsiti (35.1 billion rubles, +31%). In total, online trade turnover in the pharmaceutical industry grew by nearly 30% over the year.
However, this growth is largely driven by a redistribution of sales channels—from traditional retail toward online. As noted by Evgeny RuzheynikovEvgeny Ruzheynikov, CEO of the health marketplace Zdravsiti, overall consumption shows negative dynamics, so what's happening reflects a change in sales structure rather than real market growth in physical terms.
"This result is connected not only with changing user behavior patterns, when it becomes more comfortable to select and buy products on a smartphone or website, but also with the desire to save money amid inflationary pressures—online pharmacies today offer a wide range of mechanisms for more advantageous purchases."
Pandemic Consequences
However, it's worth noting that for a long time, full-scale remote drug sales (with home delivery) remained unregulated. The idea of legalizing online sales of over-the-counter medications had been discussed since 2017, but its adoption was delayed due to disputes over delivery: pharmacy chains insisted that medications should be delivered by employees with pharmaceutical training, while internet companies advocated for broader use of the standard courier model.
The turning point came in spring 2020: against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, a decision was made to legalize remote sales of over-the-counter medications with home delivery, and the market received the legal framework it had previously lacked. Moreover, drug delivery can be carried out not only by pharmacy staff but also by regular couriers, as long as the temperature regime during transportation is maintained. The first to receive this opportunity were 20 pharmacy chains, but gradually the number of companies with corresponding permits grew.