The e-pharma market is projected to witness a compounded annual growth rate of 15.51%, growing to US$133.369 billion by 2030 from US$64.870 billion in 2025.
An e-pharmacy or online pharmacy is a device allowing customers to purchase medicines and health care products online. A typical e-pharmacy allows browsing the virtual catalog, adding one's selected items to the cart, and then later paying securely through the Internet, with delivery directly to the customer's home. E-pharmacies would allow a patient to order prescription and over-the-counter medication online, and some may even allow prescriptions without doctor consultations. They also offer refill reminders, consultations, discounts, or loyalty programs. These factors are making e-pharmacies increasingly popular for replacing traditional pharmacies.
The increasing adoption of unhealthy diets and behavioral risk factors such as alcohol and tobacco consumption amongst much of the population is likely to augment the incidence of diseases, boosting the business of e-pharma further. Besides, the fact that it is available to nearly everyone, as the internet reaches widespread areas, is further expected to add momentum to the market growth during the forecast period and beyond.
Investment and innovation are the new forces that fuel the growing mutation in the e-pharma market. With the advent of technologies such as AI and machine learning, improvements are being made in medicine recommendations and drug interaction detections, and adherence is being sped up. Blockchain also guarantees supply chain transparency and medication authenticity. Seamless consultations and prescription refills may be possible as e-pharmacies integrate automated platforms with telemedicine.
The drones and robots are improving in diverse areas such as logistics and delivery and also enhancing efficiency in remote areas. Cold chain management ensures temperature-sensitive drug delivery therapies. E-pharmacies are also thinking about personalized medicine programs, which will fulfill the needs of individual patients and lower medication errors.
Furthermore, these additional policy measures are ensuring openness in all pharmaceutical business transactions, catapulting the E-pharma market. Investments made by major market players in same-day delivery could propel e-pharmacies to another level, especially for consumers in urgent need of medicines or physically challenged to access conventional sites.
Amazon's same-day delivery service is planned to extend to nearly half the US by 2025, particularly increased by double the count of cities providing rapid, free delivery of prescription medications. This is, instead, the pharmacy's main challenge in providing convenient yet economical access to medicines within a broad network and advanced automation technology. This new Amazon same-day delivery service expansion is anticipated to have a weighty impact on the e-pharm market, boosting competition while increasing consumer convenience and affordability.
The fact that no prescriptions are required and the ease of the e-pharma service will attract more customers and make e-pharma a popular choice among them. In addition to this, the vast number of products in dermatology will also propel this market to a different level in the forecast period owing to the rise of interest in and demand for cosmetic and aesthetic products.
With South East Asia becoming a major global tourism hub, the time is just apt for the rollout of such a service. The areas of specialization served include cardiology, respiratory, arthritis, rheumatology, dermatology, and mental health. It is estimated that some parts of the patient population will soon be pushing towards old age or already aged and among the chronically sick. The e-pharmacies lessen the dependency on others for procuring medicines and health supplies.
This presents an exceptional opportunity for e-pharma to grow considerably owing to developments in e-commerce. It offers convenience for customers to search, compare, and procure medications from the confines of their homes, essentially helping those whose work or condition prohibits them from visiting pharmacies. It opens up access to more customers and price transparency. Online channels often avail price comparison features to help customers find the best deals.
It is predicted that e-commerce penetration will reach approximately 11% in 2024. Such evolution in customer preferences and increased usage of digital channels has put India at a higher potential level of e-commerce in the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring its e-pharmaceutical sales and encouraging investments and businesses. Medication delivery right at the doorstep has opened transactions for e-pharmacies, which will operate alongside traditional pharmacies. Traditional retail is unorganized and fragmented, and the issues it leads to often are frequent stockouts, the sale of counterfeit medications, and limited accessibility.
Competing with Amazon and Reliance is in itself the potential worth 42 billion dollars in the pharmaceutical sector in India for online e-pharmacies, including Tata 1mg, Medlife, PharmEasy, and Netmeds, and they will also compete for a considerable chunk of the market. The approach of the business and distribution model of these e-commerce organizations is not conventional to the existing pharmacist network. They aim to scale up and consolidate their presence in the overall e-pharma market.
E-pharmacies also provide reminder medicines, offer online consultations, and link with telemedicine and wearable devices to provide an integrated health experience, increasing its market growth during the projected years.
Europe is expected to hold a major e-pharma market share with its mature e-commerce structure, well-fitted regulations, and growing aging population. It is characterized by high penetration of the population into the internet, especially cell phones, which paves the way for online pharmacy development. With an older population's increasing healthcare needs, e-pharmacies may provide easy theoretical medication access and benefits. Europe's leading e-pharmacies include DocMorris, Redcare Pharmacy, and Atida Santé Discount. These companies have strong market presences and drive market growth.
In May 2024, the UK National Health Service began employing digital technologies to improve public health and service access to increase efficiency in the wake of increasing pressures on the health system, just like other health authorities in the European Region of the WHO. While 33 million people are registered with the NHS app, 75% of all adults in England represent the growing appetite for managing healthcare online to the ease of health providers and medicine dispensers alike.
With the widespread utilization of the NHS App throughout Europe, there is more comfort with digital health tools and online healthcare access. This paves the way for increased e-pharmacy activity. The success of the online pharmacy application underscores the capability of digital health technologies to provide more accessible healthcare and a better patient experience, price innovation in the e-pharma market, and ensuing growth within Europe.
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Study Period | 2021 to 2031 |
| Historical Data | 2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2031 |
| Report Metric | Details |
| E-Pharma Market Size in 2025 | US$64.870 billion |
| E-Pharma Market Size in 2030 | US$133.369 billion |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 15.51% |
| Study Period | 2020 to 2030 |
| Historical Data | 2020 to 2023 |
| Base Year | 2024 |
| Forecast Period | 2025 – 2030 |
| Forecast Unit (Value) | USD Billion |
| Segmentation |
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| Geographical Segmentation | North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific |
| List of Major Companies in the E-Pharma Market | |
| Customization Scope | Free report customization with purchase |