Pharmacists told to plan their response to the loss
of RPM
Independent community pharmacists must plan and act
now if they are to compete with the grocery sector post retail price maintenance.
This was the advice given to pharmacists attending a debate hosted by
independent pharmacist, Graham Phillips, owner of Manor Pharmacy Group,
Hertfordshire, on behalf of UniChem last week.
Mr Phillips described how supermarkets were selectively
reducing the prices of lines where they had a low market share to win
business from community pharmacies. “This activity means we, the independents,
are the biggest losers.”
Peter Hinkley, sales director for GlaxoSmithKline
Consumer Healthcare, told the meeting: “Pharmacies are often used for
convenience, and shoppers need advice. It is these two benefits that set
independent pharmacy ahead of the grocery offering.” He said that independents
should not compete with grocers on price but should focus on pharmacy
lines and larger pack sizes. He also advised pharmacists to take advantage
of training schemes from manufacturers, and to run key promotional programmes,
such as winter support initiatives.
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