The DocMorris parent company Zur Rose continues to expand its range in Germany as well – as CEO Walter Oberhänsli revealed – in order to be well prepared for the case that Amazon enters the pharmaceutical market. According to the report, the digital healthcare marketplace is being rapidly developed in order to be prepared for competition from the USA. Amazon has already taken over the patient-specific packaging company for pharmaceuticals PillPack and is therefore planning to expand this business area. The planned online platform of the Zur Rose Group would then also be available to local pharmacists in Germany, Oberhänsli said in a statement. DocMorris and Zur Rose could then also envisage a merger with the second largest mail-order pharmacy in Europe, the Shop Apotheke. If, on the other hand, Amazon were to make the Zur Rose Group an offer for a takeover, the shareholders would have to decide, Oberhänsli announced. At present, nine million customers benefit from the service of the Swiss-based mail-order pharmacy, which, with DocMorris as a subsidiary, has a Dutch mail-order pharmacy that can meet all customer requirements. In Germany alone, eight million people are already customers of the mail-order company, which, according to a report by IQVIA, had a turnover of 38 billion euros in 2019. Of the 38 billion euros in total sales, 33 billion euros were accounted for by the mail-order Rx drug business.
