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dm drugstore chain faces court battle over online pharmacy model
The drugstore chain dm is facing a legal battle at the District Court of Karlsruhe regarding its online pharmacy service, dm-med. The Wettbewerbszentrale, representing various business associations, is seeking to ban dm from selling non-prescription, pharmacy-only medications online.
At the center of the dispute is whether dm-med, which operates through a subsidiary in the Czech Republic, is sufficiently independent from dm's drugstore business. The Wettbewerbszentrale argues that the integration of drugstore products and pharmacy-only medicines on the dm website violates competition law and the German Medicines Act, potentially risking consumer health due to a lack of professional pharmaceutical guidance.
Dm maintains that its model is legally compliant, citing separate shopping carts and distinct invoices for pharmacy products. The company has also launched a marketing campaign emphasizing the convenience of purchasing both drugstore and pharmacy items in a single digital transaction. dm CEO Christoph Werner has expressed support for relaxing pharmacy requirements for certain medications to increase price competition and innovation in the German healthcare system.
A court ruling is expected on December 9, 2026.
Entities
Christoph Werner · Landgericht Karlsruhe · Sebastian Bayer · Wettbewerbszentrale · dm · dm-drogerie markt · dm-med
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Wettbewerbszentrale has filed a lawsuit at the Karlsruhe District Court to ban the sale of pharmacy-only medicines via dm-med. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The plaintiffs argue that the model improperly mixes standard drugstore goods with protected pharmaceutical products. www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit claims that the economic involvement via a foreign subsidiary would be illegal under German pharmacy law if applied to physical pharmacies. www.upday.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] dm established a subsidiary in the Czech Republic to handle the sale of pharmacy-only medications. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] dm operates the dm-med online shop through its website, where it is listed as a partner. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] dm Managing Director Sebastian Bayer stated the company seeks legal certainty through the court proceedings. www.upday.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] dm established a subsidiary in the Czech Republic to handle the sale of pharmacy-only medicines. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] dm maintains that its online pharmacy operations are legally compliant. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit argues that dm is improperly mixing drugstore goods with protected pharmaceutical products. www.upday.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The dm-med online shop is accessible via the dm homepage and is identified as a partner. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The plaintiffs claim that outsourcing to a foreign subsidiary violates German pharmacy laws regarding economic interests. www.upday.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Wettbewerbszentrale is suing to prohibit dm from offering or selling pharmacy-only medicines to end consumers. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.upday.com