The first 'warehouse pharmacy' in South Korea opens… Consumers welcome it, while the pharmacy association criticizes it as 'deviation'

A 'warehouse pharmacy', the first of its kind in South Korea, has opened in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province. Like a large supermarket, customers can push carts around and select medications, attracting significant attention from consumers since its opening.

The pharmacy spans an area of 430㎡ (approximately 130 pyeong), which is seven times larger than the average size of recently opened pharmacies. From the first day of opening, the pharmacy was bustling with customers carrying carts or baskets.

A citizen, Mr. A, who drove from Gangdong-gu in Seoul, stated, "It seems efficient to buy in bulk. Prices are around 20% cheaper than in the market."

Seven pharmacists are stationed at the pharmacy to provide medication explanations and recommendations. They are effectively handling ongoing inquiries from customers, playing a crucial role in increasing 'revisit intention.'

The warehouse pharmacy is encouraged by the consumer response, which has been better than expected. Although they initially planned to monitor the situation for at least three years before considering expansion, they are reportedly reviewing plans to expedite this process.

Pharmacy Association protests, claiming "deterioration of public service and professionalism of pharmacies"

However, the pharmacy association views the emergence of warehouse pharmacies unfavorably. The number of pharmacies nationwide has steadily increased, surpassing 20,000 in 2005 and reaching about 24,000 last year, making competition already fierce.

Concerns have been raised that small pharmacies may collapse in the face of massive capital.

Warnings have also been issued regarding the potential for medication misuse. Proper prescriptions corresponding to the patients' health conditions are essential, but if bulk purchasing is encouraged, there is a risk of excessive medication prescriptions.

Korean Pharmacists Association states, "Deviation behavior, we will respond actively"

The Korean Pharmacists Association has strongly criticized warehouse pharmacies and outlined their response policy.

The association stated, "Introducing the sales method of consumer goods into pharmacies denies the public service and professionalism of pharmacies and undermines the ethics and identity of pharmacists, which is a deviation behavior," adding, "We will respond actively."

The spread of warehouse pharmacies warrants attention as it may bring about changes in the pharmacy industry, consumer accessibility, and the overall pharmaceutical management system.

Image source: Photos = Mega Factory, Danawa