Overview
- DM’s new dm‑med service starts Tuesday with roughly 2,500 non‑prescription medicines and about 1,000 skin‑care items, ordered via the dm website with fulfillment integrated into its logistics.
- Orders will be shipped from a presence pharmacy in Bor, Czech Republic, using its shipping authorization to navigate Germany’s prohibition on non‑pharmacist pharmacy ownership.
- The company says it will not sell prescription‑only medications and frames the move as a prevention‑focused expansion, with CEO Christoph Werner rejecting professional criticism as unfounded.
- Pharmacist organizations DAV and ABDA warn of unsafe self‑medication and a blurring of roles between pharmacies and drogerie retailers, and doctors have raised concerns about dm’s prior health service pilots.
- Analysts expect rising competitive pressure on brick‑and‑mortar and online pharmacies, and investor caution has weighed on shares of players such as Redcare Pharma and DocMorris since dm’s plans emerged.