Polish pharmacy market contracts as outlets drop 1.8% and drug sales rise

Statistics Poland (GUS) reports that by the end of 2025 the number of publicly accessible pharmacies in Poland fell by 1.8 % to roughly 11,000, with pharmacy points decreasing by 0.2 %. Employment in the sector also declined, with 25.4 k pharmacists and 28.7 k pharmacy technicians on staff, a drop of about 3 % compared with 2024.

Despite the shrinking outlet network, prescription‑drug sales surged 13.1 % year‑on‑year to 33.4 billion zł, and 97.8 % of prescriptions were issued electronically. On average one pharmacy serves 3,089 residents, varying by region—from 3,536 in the Pomeranian voivodeship to 2,691 in Lublin. The data suggest growing pressure on remaining pharmacies, as each must handle more patients while the workforce contracts.

The trend is seen as part of a broader public‑health staffing crisis, with concerns about access to medicines and the financial strain on the National Health Fund.