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2 clusters · 26 sources · 5 days · First seen 10 days ago · Last updated 5 days ago

German drugstore dm market and legal developments

Overview

The German drugstore chain dm has experienced significant shifts in its market standing and legal landscape. A 2026 study by Servicebarometer AG identified dm as the most popular drugstore in Germany, reaching a historic high in customer satisfaction with a score of 1.75. The company outperformed industry averages, particularly in employee service, product range, and environmental orientation.

However, the company is simultaneously facing legal challenges regarding its digital operations. The Wettbewerbszentrale has filed a lawsuit at the Landgericht Karlsruhe concerning dm-med, an online pharmacy service operated through a Czech subsidiary. The legal dispute questions whether the platform violates competition law and pharmaceutical regulations by mixing drugstore goods with protected non-prescription medications.

In recent developments, the Wettbewerbszentrale is seeking to ban dm from selling non-prescription, pharmacy-only medications online. The core of the dispute is whether dm-med is sufficiently independent from dm’s drugstore business. Critics argue that integrating these products on the dm website violates the German Medicines Act and risks consumer health by lacking professional pharmaceutical guidance.

Dm maintains its model is legally compliant, noting that it utilizes separate shopping carts and distinct invoices for pharmacy products. The company has also launched a marketing campaign highlighting the convenience of single digital transactions for both drugstore and pharmacy items. CEO Christoph Werner has expressed support for relaxing pharmacy requirements for certain medications to foster price competition and innovation. A court ruling is expected on December 9, 2026.

Entities

dm-drogerie markt · Landgericht Karlsruhe · Sebastian Bayer · Rossmann · dm

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
[● 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
[● 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] 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
[● 3 SOURCES] dm maintains that its online pharmacy operations are legally compliant. www.kurierverlag.de · www.leinetal24.de · 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] 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 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
[○ 1 SOURCE] dm Managing Director Sebastian Bayer stated the company seeks legal certainty through the court proceedings. www.upday.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit argues that dm is improperly mixing drugstore goods with protected pharmaceutical products. www.upday.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The plaintiffs claim that outsourcing to a foreign subsidiary violates German pharmacy laws regarding economic interests. www.upday.com

Timeline

5 days ago

[BUSINESS] 19 sources
dm drugstore chain faces court battle over online pharmacy model
The drugstore chain dm is defending its online pharmacy, dm-med, in court against claims that its integration of pharmacy-only medicines violates German competition and pharmaceutical laws.
10 days ago

[BUSINESS] 7 sources
dm ranks as Germany's most popular drugstore in 2026 study
The 2026 Kundenmonitor Deutschland study ranks dm as the top drugstore in Germany with a record satisfaction score of 1.75, followed by Rossmann in second place.

Sources

ad-hoc-news.de · berlin-live.de · courage-online.de · derwesten.de · epochtimes.de · etailment.de · feelgreen.de · fehmarn24.de · finanznachrichten.de · it-boltwise.de · it-daily.net · kosmetiknachrichten.de · kurierverlag.de · lebensmittelpraxis.de · leinetal24.de · moin.de · news38.de · onetz.de · op-online.de · saarbruecker-zeitung.de · staatsanzeiger.de · thueringen24.de · upday.com · volksfreund.de · wochentlich.de · wz.de

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history