The current health and wellness landscape offers consumers a wide range of alternatives, both in terms of products and distribution channels. In this context, as the focus of the Channel & Retail Lab 2023 reveals, innovations in the pharmacy model are revolutionizing customer interaction strategies, both inside and outside the store, through a combination of retail mix and go-to-market strategies.

This approach focuses on three main objectives:

1. Drive to Store: establish a relationship with customers before they enter the pharmacy through unique offerings (e.g., private label, specialty certifications, value positioning) and the use of innovative attention-grabbing tools (e.g., beacons, interactive storefronts).
2. Meeting Latent Needs: bring out the latent needs of the customer through a product display that stimulates permanence and orients the consumer within the pharmacy, accompanied by a customized integrated offer. This can be achieved through effective communication, both physical and digital, and through targeted promotions.
3. Consumer Solution: providing quality advice to transform products into customized solutions that meed the specific needs of the customer.

Reasons for entering the pharmacy

The main motivation for going to the pharmacy is to purchase prescription drugs, although this percentage has decreased since 2022. It should be noted that 6.7 percent of respondents enter the pharmacy to receive a service.

The pharmacy of choice

What are the reasons people choose one pharmacy over another?

Although geographic proximity is the main factor in choosing one pharmacy over another, there are other attributes that may influence this decision, such as the presence of nursing services (6.49%).

Most visited product shelf categories

Among the categories most visited by shoppers stopping in front of a shelf are vitamins (10 percent) and dermocosmetics (4 percent). This underscores the importance of a curated display to generate interest and drive sales.

Motivation to buy

The second most important factor in purchasing a product is the pharmacist’s recommendation. The first factor is the product features, although it is often the pharmacist who explains them to the customer.

The Channel & Retail Lab is a think tank, a reference point in Italy and abroad, focused on digital transformation and go-to-market, involving key leaders from different sectors in the design of practical tools useful for responding to real market needs, comparing innovations and enhancing and disseminating the added value of innovation for knowledge development. Sandro Castaldo, Erika Mallarini, Antonella Pirro Ruggiero, Marianna Bartiromo and Marco Fanelli participated in the 2023 work on pharmacy innovation for SDA Bocconi. Research partners: Chiesi Italia, DigitalSolutions, Haleon, Phoenix Pharma Italia and Teva Italia.