The last years E-commerce in Belgium accelerated at an exponential pace. This is also the case for the pharmaceutical market where E-commerce started a large expansion. Since more than 4 years, Vemedia Consumer Health Belgium (VCHB) is working closely with the 2 largest E-retailers in Belgium :
Farmaline and Newpharma
Together, both parties claim to own 80% of the E-commerce market for pharmaceutical products. With almost 2 Million monthly page visits and 2.2 Million customers, Farmaline is expected to be the largest Belgian E-retailer. Their intensive media campaigns (5.6Mio€ bruto in last 12 months), made them grow fast, giving them the tools to bypass their competitor Newpharma in 2019. In June this year, Farmaline self-reported growing 30 to 35% compared to 2019, an acceleration they did not expect and that is mainly due to the Covid crisis.
VCHB has seen its direct business with E-commerce parties triple at the end of 2019. Moreover, 2020 has been an incredible year too. At the end of the 1st semester, sell in from E-commerce has already exceeded the total year business of 2019, with both partners growing around +100%. The biggest Vemedia brands on Belgian E-commerce are Oenobiol, Excilor, Antistax, Osteoplus & Nustasium.
Vemedia CHB has grown its partnership with different e-retailers and intends to continue fostering this in the coming years. As E-commerce becomes an increasingly important channel, it will be crucial to maintain balance with the more traditional channels and para-pharmacies.VCHB knows this Covid crisis had a very large positive impact and questions now whether its consumers and patients will continue purchasing online or if they will go back to their traditional pharmacy.
