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Business & Money

ICA announces in-store pharmacy plans

Published: 9 Oct 09 15:25 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/22566/20091009/

Swedish retailer ICA has announced plans to open 100 pharmacies across the country.

The first stores will open in the spring of 2010 and will sell both prescription and non-prescription drugs, according to a company press release.

The company expressed confidence in the pharmacy market, which was opened up to free market competition on July 1st 2009, ending the state-run Apoteket chain's monopoly.

"We see great possibilities in the new market. When our discussions over a partnership with Apoteket could not continue, we have decided to open under our own management," Kenneth Bengtsson, ICA CEO said.

The pharmacies will be located in existing ICA stores and will be operated and owned by the firm, a so-called shop-in-shop solution.

"Our ambition is to open around 100 stores in the Swedish market in the longer term," Bengtsson said.

The second stage of the pharmacy monopoly deregulation, set to take effect on November 1st, will allow grocery stores and other retail outlets to sell certain non-prescription drugs to customers over the age of 18.

Peter Vinthagen Simpson (news@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6518)

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19:57 October 9, 2009 by 2394040
I've followed this story for a while. While this change will no doubt solve the problem of not being able to buy medications on weekends, that will most likely be the only improvement. As for cost, I would guess that cost will start to go up. Competitive pharmacies have existed here in the USA far longer than I can remember, and complaints about high drug prices have existed far longer than I can remember. Apart from the improvement in access, I doubt that the typical Swede will see any other improvement.
09:58 October 10, 2009 by irishmark
shop-in-shop pharmacies have existed in the UK supermarkets for years. The main difference I see in prices compared to Sweden is that the supermarket pharmacies sell very cheap "own brand" non-prescription medicines e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen, and things like that (which are no longer patent protected, so can be freely copied). In Sweden at present you only get paracetamol and Ibuprofen from the big Swedsh brands such as Astra Zeneca - who I have a feeling exert pressure on Apoteket not to stock "generic" copies. You can buy a pack of 16 generic paracetamol tablets in the UK for about 3 - 4 Kronor - what is it here, about 30 Kronor?
15:26 October 12, 2009 by peropaco
For too long apoteket have had a stronghold on what and when one could buy a lousy box of Alvedon. Just like systembolaget. G-d forbids you go to your country home in Vaxholm or Dalarna and forget to bring a long your analgesics or some good old cachaça. Their disproportion prices on over the counter items like anti-acids or seasonal allergy medications were something to reckon with. Hopefully the supermarkets will bring in more brands to choose from. The average Swede will embrace any opportunity to keep it as is since they have been brain-washed in thinking the government knows best; but for some of us accustomed to finding a pharmacy or a liquor-store at any giving time in Paris, NY or London it is a welcome change.
14:36 November 9, 2009 by kmbr
I don't think prices can go up, can they? I have been in the Apoteke once. I bought what should be a 7sek bottle of hand sanitizer for about $50 sek.

Thankfully, I cam fully loaded with enough OTC medication to last between trips. I can buy 5,000 ibuprofen for about $10...here I'd need to mortgage the kids to get that many.

But, hey, how about all those "free" social benefits?
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