Belgium & the Netherlands 

Belgium and Netherlands’ Self-Medication and Rx market

Belgium and the Netherlands both have a really mature Self-Medication and Rx market but are still full of opportunities if you are considering expanding your business in Europe. 

Together, the Netherlands and Belgium have a population of 29,1 million inhabitants spread over an area of 71,600 km ². The consumer health and pharma market size of the Netherlands was US$ 6,3 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ 11,5 billion ex-factory in 2035. The OTC and pharma market size of Belgium was US$ 6,4 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 14,7 billion ex-factory by 2035, according to CPC estimates. 

The Netherlands has about 2,000 pharmacies. Multiple ownership was actually legalized in 1987. Since 1999, non-pharmacists have been able to own pharmacies and employ pharmacists to supervise them. 

Kruidvat, part of the A.S. Watson group, was one of the pharmacy and drugstore chains with more than 100 branches in the country. There were 969 Kruidvat stores in the Netherlands in 2022. In Belgium, pharmacies can also be owned by pharmacists, non-pharmacists, partnerships, and companies, Febelco being the largest chain in Belgium with yearly revenue of $US 1,7 billion. Moreover, the pharmacy pricing level is 30% higher in Belgium compared to the Netherlands. 

The self-medication and pharma market in the Benelux is full of opportunities you should consider if you’re looking to expand your business internationally. Contact the Chameleon Pharma Consulting Group to have more information about Market Entry, Regulatory topics, or GMP Certificates!