24-27 November 2026Crocus Expo, Pavilion 2, Moscow
RU
Rising market value, transformations in the retail and public procurement sectors, and changes in HR policies and the regulatory environment—all these factors require special attention from both pharmaceutical industry participants and organizations actively monitoring market developments. At Pharmtech & Ingredients 2026, participants will discuss how these trends will impact the future of the Russian pharmaceutical market.
In 2025, the total pharmaceutical market in Russia increased significantly. According to DSM Group, retail sales reached 1.89 trillion rubles, a 16% increase compared to 2024. This growth is driven not only by increased sales volumes but also by changes in consumption patterns. Analysts note that both retail sales and government procurement remain key drivers.
Total unit sales reached 4.93 billion, a 2% increase compared to 2024. This demonstrates growing demand for medications in the pharmacy segment, with the share of federal pharmacy chains significantly increasing.
Imported original drugs in the high-end segment are under dual pressure. On the one hand, there's the logistical pressure—complicated supply chains, the introduction of parallel imports, and the need to operate through third countries increase distribution costs and reduce reliability. The second factor is regulatory: pricing for drugs on the VED list is strictly regulated, which, along with rising operating costs, reduces the margins of distributors and pharmacy chains.
As a result, pharmacy chains are increasingly replacing imported originals in pharmacists' recommendations, not out of ideology, but out of economic logic. Generics offer higher margins, and relationships with domestic suppliers are more reliable, necessitating a review of pricing and partnership strategies for foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Russian market.
// Consolidation and Mergers in Distribution : 2025 saw a slowdown in consolidation within the distribution chain. Following rapid growth in 2023, competition for leadership has intensified significantly. The gap between the top two market players over the first nine months was only 0.1%. This calls into question the future development of independent distributors, who are forced to seek new ways to survive in an increasingly competitive environment.
// Increase in government procurement: Government procurement continued to grow, with growth (+16%) significantly outpacing that of the commercial pharmacy segment (+11%). However, only a slight budget increase of 1% is expected in 2026, while spending cuts are planned for key federal projects such as oncology, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
// Pharmacy Network Growth Declines . The pharmacy construction boom of the last ten years has ended. According to analysts, the number of pharmacies has stabilized at 82,000–83,000, demonstrating a slowdown in growth in this segment.
// Price segments and the declining availability of affordable medications. In recent years, rising prices have led to a "washing out" of affordable medications from pharmacy shelves. In 2025, only 3% of medications costing up to 100 rubles were available in retail prices. This, in turn, is forcing pharmacy chains to rethink their product offerings, focusing on more expensive medications.
// The growth of online reservations. One of the most prominent trends in 2025 is the growth of sales through online reservations. This channel is growing twice as fast as the overall market, creating new challenges for traditional brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Marketplaces have also begun to actively compete with pharmacies in the dietary supplement segment, significantly increasing their product range.
// Declining Innovation Activity: In 2025, the release of new molecules and brands significantly declined. The share of new imported INNs was only 20%, raising questions about the future availability of innovative drugs for Russian patients.
The personnel issue remains one of the most pressing for the pharmaceutical industry. According to statistics, 30% of pharmacy workers lack specialized training, which poses a serious threat to the quality of service and drug supply. The situation is exacerbated by the cancellation of distance learning in March 2026, creating additional challenges for specialist training.
The dietary supplement market continues to grow despite the lack of comprehensive quality control, especially on marketplaces. The key challenge is the mass sale of unregistered products, which poses health risks to consumers. Pharmacies remain the primary channel for selling safe and certified supplements, although competition from online resources continues to intensify.
According to the Monthly Retail Audit of the Russian Pharmaceutical Market by DSM Group, the volume of the commercial pharmaceutical market in January 2026 amounted to 158.8 billion rubles (in retail prices), which is 15.7% higher than in January 2025.
In physical units of measurement, the volume of sales of medicinal products in January amounted to 354.7 million packages, which is 3.2% more than in January 2025.
In January, the distribution of sales by degree of localization shifted in favor of localized drugs by 1.5% in rubles and in favor of imported drugs by 0.6% in units compared to the first month of last year. Localized drugs dominated the market in terms of volume, accounting for 67.4% of the market by month end, and accounted for 52.1% of the pharmaceutical market value.
When examining absolute figures in rubles, we note strong sales growth for both imported (+12.1%) and localized (+19.2%) drugs. In physical terms, both categories also demonstrated positive dynamics: sales of imported drugs increased by 5.2%, while sales of localized drugs increased by 2.2%.
Forecasts for 2026 predict a slowdown in the pharmaceutical market's growth. Commercial segment growth is expected to be 10-12%, while government procurement will grow by only 3-4%. This is due to several systemic challenges, including high tax burdens and competitive pressure from federal pharmacy chains and marketplaces.
In these conditions, for most small and medium-sized businesses, resource consolidation will become a key means of survival. Growth in partner networks and active participation in self-regulatory organizations (SROs) are predicted.
The Russian pharmaceutical market demonstrated growth in 2025, but the future will depend on the industry's ability to adapt to new conditions. Consolidation, improved operational efficiency, and increased customer focus are key strategies for survival in 2026.
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The 28th International Pharmtech & Ingredients Exhibition will be held November 24–27, 2026, at the Crocus Expo IEC (Pavilion 2, Moscow). The largest industry event in Russia and the EAEU will bring together manufacturers, equipment and raw material suppliers, regulators, and investors in a single space for technology exchange and partnerships.
The business program will cover issues across the entire production cycle: from the procurement of substances and raw materials to modern packaging technologies and finished product logistics, from GMP requirements to digital solutions for quality control.
