Japanese Supermarket Giant Plans Dedicated Drug-Sales Areas
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Japan's retail giant, Aeon, says it plans to dedicate areas in its chain of supermarkets exclusively to private-label and cheaper over-the-counter drugs. Supermarkets were cleared to sell OTC drugs without having to have a pharmacist on the premises after the national law was changed recently. Aeon said its own changes are expected to take effect this fall. The set-aside areas are to include OTC drugs with low side effects, and about 60 percent of the stock is to be private-label medicines. Two other supermarket chains have taken similar actions to promote the new availability of lower-cost drugs. (Click here for more - a subscription may be required