Gitnux/Report 2026

Drugstore Industry Statistics

U.S. drugstores pulled in $456.2 billion in 2023, but the real story is how shoppers distribute spend by life stage and habits, from baby boomers driving 32% of prescription sales to rural shoppers making 2.3 visits a week versus 1.8 in urban areas. You will also see where the industry is heading through e commerce growth and staffing pressures, including 3.1 million jobs in 2023 and a pharmacist vacancy rate that reached 8.7% by the end of the year.
281Statistics
83Sources
13Sections
1Visuals
47mRead
November 11, 2026Updated
Drugstore Industry Statistics
Daniel VargaWritten by Daniel Varga·Edited by David Kowalski·Fact-checked by Rebecca Hargrove
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The drugstore industry at a glance

The U.S. drugstore industry generated $372.3 billion in 2024 revenue, while pharmacy chains faced reimbursement pressure, store rationalization and increasing vertical integration.

$372.3B[75]
Industry revenue, 2024
687,827[75]
Employees, 2024
41,792[75]
Employer establishments, 2023
28.5%[23]
CVS retail prescription share, 2025
Market size
U.S. pharmacies and drug stores recorded $372.3 billion in 2024 revenue, according to the Census Bureau’s NAICS 446110 data. The broader health and personal care stores subsector generated $438.9 billion.[75][76]
Segmentation
NAICS 446110 covers establishments retailing prescription and nonprescription drugs and medicines; electronic, mail-order and direct-sale drug retailing is classified separately in nonstore retail. CVS reported $115.5 billion in pharmacy revenue and $21.5 billion in front-store revenue in 2025, illustrating the industry’s prescription-led mix with a smaller general-merchandise component.[75][23]
Key players & concentration
CVS dispensed approximately 28.5% of U.S. retail pharmacy prescriptions in 2025 and operated about 9,000 retail locations. In the adjacent pharmacy-benefit-management channel, the six largest PBMs managed nearly 95% of U.S. prescriptions in 2023, highlighting the sector’s high degree of vertical concentration.[23][53]
Pricing
Retail pharmacy pricing is shaped by reimbursement rates, PBM contracts, manufacturer rebates and generic-drug economics rather than shelf prices alone. The FTC reported that pharmacies affiliated with the three largest PBMs received 68% of specialty-drug dispensing revenue in 2023, up from 54% in 2016, while its 2025 report examined significant PBM markups on specialty generic drugs.[53]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is supported by prescription utilization, specialty medicines and GLP-1 drugs, but operators face reimbursement pressure, labor costs, generic-drug introductions and weaker front-store economics. CVS reported an 8.0% increase in 2025 retail prescription volume and an 18.0% increase in pharmacy same-store sales, while noting continued reimbursement pressure.[23]
Consumer behavior & competition
Competition is shifting toward convenient pharmacy access, digital fulfillment, specialty care and smaller pharmacy-focused stores. CVS said nearly 20 pharmacy-focused locations would open across the U.S. in 2026, with formats averaging about 3,000 square feet and a customized over-the-counter assortment.[24]
M&A
M&A and asset transfers continued to reshape the sector: CVS completed Rite Aid prescription-file acquisitions during the third quarter of 2025, adding prescription volume, while Walgreens Boots Alliance was acquired by Sycamore Partners on August 28, 2025. In October 2026, Fairfax and Wittington agreed to acquire Boots’ retail operations for approximately $8.9 billion including assumed debt.[24][23]
Regulation
Federal oversight is increasingly focused on PBM concentration, rebate practices, pharmacy reimbursement and prescription-dispensing controls. The FTC’s 2024 interim report found that the six largest PBMs managed nearly 95% of U.S. prescriptions, while a 2026 federal case involving CVS resulted in a $315 million settlement over alleged medically unnecessary opioid dispensing.[53][26]
Latest news
In November 2026, CVS announced plans to separate its retail pharmacy business from its insurance and PBM operations, with the planned separation expected in early 2028. The proposed retail company would include approximately 9,000 drugstores, mail pharmacy, specialty pharmacy and MinuteClinic operations.[77][38]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Drugstore Industry

The leading companies in the drugstore industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

CVS Health leads Gitnux's 2026 drugstore ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with 28.5% of U.S. retail pharmacy prescriptions in 2025 and about 9,000 retail locations. The Boots Group is the highest-ranked pharmacy-led retail operator at 8.6, with 1,800+ Boots pharmacies and retail stores across 11 countries.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in retail pharmacy operations

    CVS Health

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.1 · Retail pharmacy operations

    Why we picked it: It ties prescription volume to a large retail footprint, with CVS reporting 28.5% of prescriptions in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit cvshealth.com ↗

  2. Leader in pharmacy-led health retail

    The Boots Group

    GB

    Ranked #2 · 8.6 · Pharmacy-led health retail

    Why we picked it: It runs pharmacy-led stores across multiple European markets, with a footprint of more than 1,800 stores.

    See in ranking ↓Visit thebootsgroup.co.uk ↗

  3. Leader in drugstore value retail

    dm-drogerie markt

    DE

    Ranked #3 · 8.6 · Drugstore value retail

    Why we picked it: Its drugstore model scales across Europe with EUR 19.197 billion revenue and 93,426 employees.

    See in ranking ↓Visit dm.de ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the drugstore industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

CVS Health

Retail pharmacy operations · US

9.1
2

The Boots Group

Pharmacy-led health retail · GB

8.6
3

dm-drogerie markt

Drugstore value retail · DE

8.6
4

A.S. Watson Group

Health and beauty drugstore retail · HK

8.5
5

MatsukiyoCocokara & Co.

Drugstore and pharmacy retail, Japan · JP

8.4
6

Dr. Max

Community pharmacy retail, Central and Southern Europe · CZ

8.4
7

Shoppers Drug Mart

Pharmacy and drugstore retail, Canada · CA

8.2
8

Walgreens

Retail pharmacies and health services, US · US

8.1
9

SUNDRUG

Drugstore and discount retail, Japan · JP

8.0
10

Redcare Pharmacy

Online pharmacy and health retail, Europe · NL

8.0

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the drugstore industry. In Drugstore Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drugstore-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Revenue of the largest drugstore companies

CVS Health leads with $402.1B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).

CVS Health$402.1B
The Boots Group$24.6B
dm-drogerie markt$20.7B
MatsukiyoCocokara & Co.$7.1B
Dr. Max$6.8B
Shoppers Drug Mart$3.6B
source-verifiedinvestors.cvshealth.com · thebootsgroup.co.uk · newsroom.dm.de · matsukiyococokara.com · drmax.eu · globenewswire.com2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Technology adoption spans dispensing automation and store systems. Examples include 73% using automated pill-counting and 32% using dispensing robots (2023), plus DSCSA blockchain modeling of 100 million prescriptions per year.

AI in the drugstore industry

  • 62.2% of Ethiopian community pharmacists surveyed were willing to use AI for medication dispensing in 2024.[1]
  • 10% of U.S. pharmacists who used AI reported using image-generation tools in 2023.[2]
  • 34.9% of surveyed U.S. pharmacists expressed some distrust of AI in 2023.[2]
  • 72.0% of Ethiopian community pharmacists surveyed were willing to use AI for inventory management in 2024.[1]
  • 38.7% of surveyed U.S. pharmacists reported using AI software in 2023.[2]
  • 66.2% of community pharmacists in Ethiopia were willing to apply AI technologies in pharmacy practice in 2024.[1]

Automation in the drugstore industry

  • 73% of U.S. community pharmacies used automated pill-counting technology in 2023.[3]
  • 32% of U.S. community pharmacies used automated dispensing robots in 2023.[3]
  • 21% of Canadian health-system pharmacies reported using robotic systems for patient-specific medication filling in 2023–24.[4]
  • 21% of U.S. community pharmacies used robotic medication-compliance packaging in 2023.[3]
  • 59% of U.S. community pharmacies used telephone integrated voice response systems in 2023.[3]
  • 89% of U.S. community pharmacies used point-of-sale systems in 2023.[3]

Digital Transformation in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among EU large businesses, 96% reached at least a basic level of digital intensity in 2025.[5]
  • Across EU businesses, 74% reached at least a basic level of digital intensity in 2024.[5]
  • Across retail and consumer-goods companies, 70% of business functions had generative AI adopted or piloted in 2025.[6]
  • Among EU small and medium-sized enterprises, 71% reached at least a basic level of digital intensity in 2025.[5]

Technology Adoption in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across US and European retailers, 66% had moved beyond exploration and testing of store-intelligence technologies in 2025.[7]
  • Across US and European retailers, 27% had fully scaled cameras and sensors in 2025.[7]
  • Across US and European retailers, 21% had fully scaled edge computing technologies in 2025.[7]
  • Across US and European retailers, 23% had fully scaled wireless communication technologies such as RFID or Bluetooth in 2025.[7]
  • Across US and European retailers, 16% had fully scaled artificial intelligence in 2025.[7]

Cloud Computing in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU enterprises, 52.74% used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[5]
  • Across EU enterprises using paid cloud services, 71.69% used cloud-based office software in 2025.[5]
  • Across EU enterprises using paid cloud services, 71.53% used cloud-based file storage in 2025.[5]
  • Across EU enterprises using paid cloud services, 45.52% hosted enterprise databases in the cloud in 2025.[5]
  • Across EU enterprises using paid cloud services, 85.15% used cloud-based email in 2025.[5]

Big Data in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across retail companies, 64% said their customer data was structured and accessible enough to support artificial-intelligence use cases in 2025.[8]
  • Across EU enterprises, 26.20% performed data analytics on transaction records such as sales and payment records in 2025.[5]
  • Across retail companies, 23% were using artificial intelligence in production to resolve customer identities or prepare customer data for marketing or analytics in 2025.[8]
  • Across EU enterprises, 33.02% performed data analytics using their own employees in 2025.[5]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Central-fill and delivery create large processing and operating datasets, while retailers report weak data management effectiveness. Walmart expected coverage by central-fill by end of 2026 and designed Frederick capacity of 100,000 prescriptions per day.

Business intelligence in the drugstore industry

  • 90% of Walmart pharmacies were expected to be covered by central-fill operations by the end of 2026.[9]
  • 100,000 prescriptions per day was the processing capacity designed for Walmart's Frederick central-fill facility.[9]
  • 700 Walmart stores across 16 states and Washington, D.C., were included in the initial support footprint of the Frederick central-fill facility.[9]

Data analytics in the drugstore industry

  • 6.8% was CVS's increase in same-store prescription volume on a 30-day-equivalent basis for full-year 2024.[10]
  • 5.9% was CVS's increase in same-store prescription volume on a 30-day-equivalent basis in the fourth quarter of 2024.[10]
  • 9 minutes was the fastest pharmacy-delivery time recorded by Walmart after its delivery service launch.[9]
  • 4 million Walmart pharmacy-delivery orders had been completed by September 2025, providing an operating dataset for the retailer's pharmacy-delivery model.[9]

Data Quality in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across retail and e-commerce, 62% of respondents rated their data-management practices only somewhat effective in 2024.[11]
  • Across retail and e-commerce, 48% of respondents rated their customer-data collection methods only somewhat effective in 2024.[11]
  • Across retail and e-commerce, 66% of respondents rated their identity-resolution ability only somewhat effective in 2024.[11]
  • Across retail and e-commerce, 66% of respondents identified data-quality controls as a significant challenge in 2024.[11]
  • Across retail and e-commerce, 29% of respondents rated their customer-data collection methods not very effective in 2024.[11]

Data Governance in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across retail and CPG companies, 31% of respondents cited the lack of a corporate data strategy and semantic layer as a key challenge in 2025.[12]
  • Across retail and consumer-products companies, 96% of respondents said breaking down data silos was a significant challenge in 2025.[13]
  • Across retail and consumer-products companies, 53.5% of respondents said regulatory compliance was not a significant data challenge in 2025.[13]
  • Across retail and consumer-products companies, 66% of respondents said their data-management capabilities were only somewhat unified in 2025.[13]
  • Across retail and CPG companies, 35% of respondents cited inconsistent or incorrect answers to data questions as a governance-related blocker in 2025.[12]
  • Across retail and e-commerce, 57% of respondents identified data governance as a significant challenge in 2024.[11]

KPIs in the drugstore industry

  • 76 was the 2024 U.S. drugstore industry score for frequency of sales and promotions on ACSI's 0-to-100 scale.[14]
  • 84 was the 2024 U.S. drugstore industry score for mobile-app reliability on ACSI's 0-to-100 scale.[14]
  • 74 was CVS's 2024 U.S. drugstore customer-satisfaction score on ACSI's 0-to-100 scale.[14]
  • 75 was Walgreens' 2024 U.S. drugstore customer-satisfaction score on ACSI's 0-to-100 scale.[14]
  • 82 was the 2024 U.S. drugstore industry score for pharmacy-service quality on ACSI's 0-to-100 scale.[14]
  • 82 was Walmart's 2024 U.S. drugstore customer-satisfaction score on ACSI's 0-to-100 scale.[14]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Chains are expanding through format decisions, geographic footprint, and acquisitions. CVS cited 8.0% retail prescription volume increase in 2025 while also planning a retail separation expected in early 2028.

Growth in the drugstore industry

  • 8.2% was dm-drogerie markt’s European gross-sales growth in fiscal 2024/25.[15]
  • 9.0% was Boots UK sales growth on a constant-currency basis in fiscal 2024.[16]
  • 4.7% was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s Germany wholesale-business growth on a constant-currency basis in fiscal 2024.[16]
  • 1.7% was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s reported international sales growth in fiscal 2024.[16]
  • 6.5% was dm Austria’s revenue growth in fiscal 2024/25 to approximately 1.4 billion euros.[17]
  • 6.5% was dm-drogerie markt Germany’s sales growth in fiscal 2024/25.[18]

Differentiation in the drugstore industry

  • Eight branded product lines were listed by Walgreens Boots Alliance in its fiscal 2024 sustainability report, including No7, Botanics and Soap & Glory.[19]
  • 3.7 million European households shopped at dm daily in fiscal 2024/25, indicating the scale of its customer proposition.[20]
  • 12.5 million customers used dm’s app in fiscal 2024/25, supporting the chain’s digital differentiation strategy.[20]
  • 18,000-plus products were available in selected categories through dm.de in 2025, extending the assortment beyond stores.[15]
  • 9.0% was Boots UK’s constant-currency sales growth in fiscal 2024, reflecting stronger performance in the company’s differentiated beauty and pharmacy offer.[16]
  • One manufacturing facility produced Walgreens Boots Alliance health and beauty products in fiscal 2024.[19]

Mergers and acquisitions in the drugstore industry

  • 45% was Walgreens’ initial stake in Alliance Boots when the strategic transaction began, according to Boots Group history.[21]
  • 9.579 billion dollars in cash was recorded as consideration transferred for CVS Health’s Oak Street Health acquisition in 2023.[22]
  • 5.0 billion dollars of borrowings financed part of CVS Health’s Oak Street Health acquisition in 2023.[23]
  • More than 170 medical centers across 21 states were operated by Oak Street Health when CVS Health completed its acquisition in 2023.[10]
  • 39 dollars per share was the cash consideration offered by CVS Health for Oak Street Health in 2023.[24]
  • 600 approximately primary-care providers were added to CVS Health’s platform through the Oak Street Health acquisition in 2023.[10]

Strategic partnerships in the drugstore industry

  • 21 states were covered by Oak Street Health’s medical-center network when CVS Health completed the partnership-oriented acquisition in 2023.[10]
  • 39 dollars per share was CVS Health’s agreed cash consideration in its 2023 alliance-based acquisition of Oak Street Health.[24]
  • 26 long-term manufacturing agreements covered approximately 72.0% of Prestige Consumer Healthcare’s gross revenue in 2024.[23]
  • 98% of Rite Aid’s prescription-drug dollar volume came from McKesson under the companies’ supplier relationship before February 2024.[23]
  • 170-plus medical centers formed Oak Street Health’s network when it joined CVS Health in 2023.[10]
  • Two largest GPO relationships for Cardinal Health in fiscal 2024 were Vizient and Premier, measured by revenue.[25]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce pressure shows up in pharmacy employment declines and store staffing actions. Retail outpatient pharmacist employment fell by 8,200 positions, or 4.8%, in 2025 in the United States.

Hiring in the drugstore industry

  • Retail-pharmacist job postings increased 63% in the United States from 2020 to 2021.[26]
  • 68,988 U.S. pharmacist job postings were recorded in 2022, including 41,484 retail-pharmacist postings.[27]
  • Retail outpatient pharmacist employment in 2025 was 14.2% below its 2017 peak in the United States.[28]
  • Retail outpatient pharmacist employment fell by 8,200 positions, or 4.8%, in the United States during 2025.[28]
  • 159,670 U.S. pharmacy-technician job postings were recorded through the fourth quarter of 2024.[29]

Employee retention in the drugstore industry

  • Walgreens planned approximately 1,200 U.S. store closures in fiscal 2024.[26]
  • Nearly 30% of U.S. drugstores open during the previous decade had closed by 2021.[26]
  • CVS Health completed 900 planned store closures over a three-year period ending in 2024.[26]
  • Walgreens’ fiscal 2024 retail-pharmacy segment filled 796.4 million prescriptions, indicating the scale of its operating workforce.[30]
  • 6.2% was the annual turnover rate for U.S. community pharmacies from 2010 through 2023.[31]

Remote Work in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. retail trade, employees worked from home for 14.03% of full paid working days in 2023.[32]
  • Across U.S. retail trade, employees worked from home for 14.02% of full paid working days in 2025.[32]
  • Across U.S. retail trade, employees worked from home for 13.46% of full paid working days in 2024.[32]
  • Across U.S. retail trade, employees worked from home for 14.09% of full paid working days in 2026.[32]
  • Across U.S. retail trade, employees worked from home for 15.14% of full paid working days in 2022.[32]

Hybrid Work in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.K. employers, 23% used informal manager-employee arrangements for hybrid work in 2025.[33]
  • Across U.K. employers, 42% had a formal hybrid-working policy in 2025.[33]
  • Across U.K. employers, 74% had hybrid working in place in 2025.[33]
  • Across U.K. employers, 65% required hybrid employees to attend the workplace a minimum number of days in 2025.[33]
  • Across retail organizations globally, 55% of employees worked from the office five days per week in 2025.[34]

Upskilling in the drugstore industry

  • More than 4,900 Walgreens team members were covered by ethical-sourcing training in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 30 average training hours were received per Walgreens full-time-equivalent team member in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 92% was the completion rate for Walgreens ethical-sourcing training among covered team members in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 16 million training hours were provided to more than 300,000 CVS Health colleagues in 2025.[24]
  • Nearly 100% of active CVS Health colleagues completed annual Code of Conduct training in 2024.[35]

Employee Engagement in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. retail workers, 24% were promoters of their organizations in Seramount’s spring 2025 survey.[36]
  • Across U.S. retail workers, 35% rated their personal well-being above average in Seramount’s spring 2025 survey.[36]
  • Across U.S. retail workers, 24% reported one or more symptoms of burnout in Seramount’s spring 2025 survey.[36]
  • Across retail employees, 84% would recommend their company as a great place to work in Culture Amp’s 2024 dataset.[36]
  • Across retail employees in Culture Amp’s 2024 dataset, 70% were engaged in 2025 reporting.[36]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience is measured in satisfaction and app reliability alongside loyalty and repeat behavior. ACSI placed the 2024 U.S. overall drugstore customer-satisfaction at 77 points.

Customer experience in the drugstore industry

  • 84 points was the 2024 U.S. drugstore score for mobile-app reliability on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]
  • 84 points was the 2024 U.S. drugstore score for mobile-app quality on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]
  • 83 points was the 2024 U.S. drugstore score for store layout and cleanliness on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]
  • 77 points was the overall 2024 U.S. drugstore customer-satisfaction score on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]
  • 80 points was the 2024 U.S. drugstore score for staff courtesy and helpfulness on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]

Customer retention in the drugstore industry

  • 40% of web shoppers at the other one of the two largest U.S. drugstore chains were repeat buyers, according to Connexity data cited by USPS.[37]
  • 18% of U.S. mail-order pharmacy customers in 2023 said they definitely or probably would switch pharmacies within the next year.[38]
  • 55% of web shoppers at one of the two largest U.S. drugstore chains were repeat buyers, according to Connexity data cited by USPS.[37]
  • 14% of U.S. mail-order pharmacy customers in 2022 said they definitely or probably would switch pharmacies within the next year.[38]

Customer loyalty in the drugstore industry

  • 99 million myWalgreens members were reported in Walgreens’ loyalty-program materials.[39]
  • More than 100 million members had joined Walgreens’ myWalgreens program after its 2020 relaunch.[19]
  • 124 million myWalgreens members were recorded worldwide as of August 31, 2024.[23]
  • 90 million addressable ExtraCare members were cited by CVS Media Exchange for its health-and-wellness retail pharmacy audience.[40]
  • More than 110 million members used Walgreens’ myWalgreens loyalty program during the company’s myW Days promotion.[19]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Retail media and loyalty audiences feed digital revenue outcomes. Walgreens Advertising Group reported $10 million in a single quarter, alongside 113 million-plus myWalgreens loyalty members cited for retail-media use.

Marketing in the drugstore industry

  • $315 million in incremental digital-media sales were attributed to Walgreens in a single year in Epsilon’s case study.[41]
  • $10 million in Walgreens Advertising Group revenue was generated in a single quarter, according to Epsilon’s Walgreens case study.[41]
  • 113 million-plus myWalgreens loyalty members formed the audience cited for Walgreens Advertising Group’s retail-media platform.[42]

Digital marketing in the drugstore industry

  • 568,000 unique Facebook media views were generated by Realo Drugs’ organic digital-marketing content.[43]
  • 4 million-plus digital interactions per day were reported for myWalgreens members in Walgreens’ loyalty-program materials.[39]
  • 45 million app visits per month were reported for myWalgreens in Walgreens’ loyalty-program materials.[39]
  • Approximately 80% of Walgreens same-day-delivery orders were delivered within one hour in the company’s 2024 earnings commentary.[44]

Branding in the drugstore industry

  • 82 points was Walmart’s 2024 U.S. drugstore satisfaction score, the highest among the companies reported by ACSI.[14]
  • 75 points was Walgreens’ 2024 U.S. drugstore satisfaction score on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]
  • 76 points was Rite Aid’s 2024 U.S. drugstore satisfaction score on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]
  • CVS ranked 57th among the 100 most visible U.S. brands in the 2025 Harris Poll reputation ranking.[38]
  • 74 points was CVS’s 2024 U.S. drugstore satisfaction score on ACSI’s 0–100 scale.[14]

Social media in the drugstore industry

  • 31 median interactions per Instagram post were recorded for worldwide beauty and drugstore retailers in September 2026.[45]
  • 568,000 unique Facebook media views were generated for independent U.S. pharmacy Realo Drugs through organic social content.[43]
  • 5 median interactions per Facebook post were recorded for worldwide beauty and drugstore retailers in September 2026.[45]
  • 57% of U.S. adults considered government regulation of prescription-drug promotion on social media extremely or very important in NORC’s survey.[46]

Influencer Marketing in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • 80% of brands investing in creator marketing increased creator budgets in 2026, while 25% raised creator spending by more than 10%.[47]
  • 91% of brands investing in creator marketing ran an always-on component in 2026, including 62% with hybrid programs and 29% with fully continuous programs.[47]
  • 78% of surveyed brands reported growing creator-marketing budgets in 2025, up from 36% reporting budget growth in 2024.[47]
  • 49% of brands investing in creator marketing reported sales as an impact of creator activity in 2026, compared with 60% citing brand sentiment and 58% citing awareness.[47]
  • 58% of brands integrated retail media networks and creator marketing platforms by amplifying creator-generated content on retail media channels in 2025.[47]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Throughput and dispensing mix matter under reimbursement pressure. CVS reported 88.9% generic dispensing rate in 2024, while Walgreens reported a 2.0% increase in comparable 30-day-equivalent prescriptions in fiscal 2024.

Process optimization in the drugstore industry

  • 70.0 prescriptions per store per day was the average 2021 workload for retail pharmacies dispensing both branded and generic prescriptions, according to IQVIA data presented by NACDS.[48]
  • 88.9% was CVS Health’s generic dispensing rate in 2024, up from 88.4% in 2023, supporting lower-cost prescription fulfillment in its U.S. pharmacy business.[49]
  • 2.0% was the increase in Walgreens’ comparable 30-day-equivalent prescriptions in fiscal 2024, indicating higher dispensing throughput across its U.S. retail pharmacy operations.[44]
  • 4.0% was the increase in CVS Health’s prescriptions filled in 2024, measured on a 30-day-equivalent basis, reflecting higher utilization and vaccination activity in its U.S. pharmacy operations.[49]

Operational efficiency in the drugstore industry

  • 2.5% per year was the decline in hours worked in U.S. retail trade associated with the productivity gains reported in the Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis.[50]
  • 15.8% of CVS Health’s Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness revenue represented operating expenses in 2024, down from 16.8% in 2023.[49]
  • 18.4% of Walgreens’ fiscal 2024 Retail Pharmacy sales represented selling, general and administrative expenses, compared with 25.1% in fiscal 2023.[44]
  • 4.8% per year was the growth in sales productivity for U.S. pharmacies and drug stores from 2007 through 2022, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis.[50]

Quality management in the drugstore industry

  • 88.4% was CVS Health’s generic dispensing rate in 2023, a measure used by the company to monitor clinically appropriate generic substitution.[51]
  • 12.3% was CVS Health’s pharmacy same-store sales increase in 2024, driven partly by prescription volume and pharmacy drug mix.[10]
  • 6.8% was CVS Health’s 2024 increase in same-store prescription volume on a 30-day-equivalent basis, including contributions from vaccinations.[49]
  • 9.8% was Walgreens’ comparable pharmacy-sales increase in fiscal 2024, including pharmacy services and prescription dispensing across its retail network.[44]

Supply chain in the drugstore industry

  • 12% was the decline in inventory turns for the drug-retail sector between 2015 and 2024, according to the Supply Chains to Admire 2025 report.[52]
  • 90% of approximately 6.6 billion U.S. prescriptions dispensed in 2023 were processed by the six largest pharmacy benefit managers.[53]
  • 70% of U.S. specialty-drug revenue was accounted for by pharmacies affiliated with the three largest pharmacy benefit managers in 2023.[53]
  • 80% of approximately 6.6 billion U.S. prescriptions dispensed in 2023 were processed by the three largest pharmacy benefit managers, according to the Federal Trade Commission.[53]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the retail and e-commerce sector (sector benchmark)

  • 57% of retail organizations with $50 million–$100 million in revenue outsourced some or all fulfillment in 2025.[54]
  • Among U.S. apparel imports, China’s share fell from 30% in 2019 to 21% in 2023, while other Asian suppliers’ share rose from 30% to 35%.[55]
  • 74% of retailers surveyed sourced internationally, including 71% of small companies and 84% of larger companies, in 2024.[56]
  • 76% of retail organizations with $150 million–$200 million in revenue outsourced some or all fulfillment in 2025.[54]
  • 72% of retail organizations with $100 million–$150 million in revenue outsourced some or all fulfillment in 2025.[54]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing is driven more by reimbursement and PBM contracting than shelf prices. Retail prescription-led revenue makes up about 80% of revenue at most retail pharmacy chains, while CVS operating-income margin for Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness was 4.6% in 2024.

Pricing strategy in the drugstore industry

  • 12.3% was CVS Health’s pharmacy same-store sales growth in 2024, while front-store same-store sales declined 2.1%, illustrating different pricing and demand conditions within drugstore operations.[49]
  • Nearly 80% of U.S. prescriptions were administered by the three largest pharmacy benefit managers in 2023, giving those intermediaries substantial influence over pharmacy reimbursement and patient prices.[53]
  • 8.2% was Walgreens’ fiscal 2024 pharmacy-sales growth, compared with a 4.6% decline in retail sales, indicating divergent pricing and demand performance between pharmacy and front-store categories.[44]
  • 80% of revenue at most retail pharmacy chains came from the pharmacy rather than the front store, shaping the industry’s shift toward cost-based reimbursement models.[55]

Cost reduction in the drugstore industry

  • 3.2% was the decrease in CVS Health’s Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness adjusted operating income in 2024, despite increased prescription volume and improved drug purchasing.[49]
  • $747 million was recorded by CVS Health as restructuring charges in 2024, primarily related to lease and property write-downs under its restructuring program.[49]
  • 41.3% was the decrease in Walgreens’ Retail Pharmacy adjusted operating income in fiscal 2024, reflecting reimbursement pressure and a challenging retail environment despite cost-saving initiatives.[44]
  • 10% was the approximate average reduction in cost of goods sold reported by pharmacies using broader purchasing options and competitive pricing in 2024.[57]

Profitability in the drugstore industry

  • 4.6% was CVS Health’s 2024 adjusted operating-income margin for its Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness segment.[49]
  • 10.6% was the drug-retail sector’s return on capital employed in the 2015–2024 period reported by Supply Chains to Admire 2025.[52]
  • 3.8% was CVS Health’s 2024 operating-income margin for its Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness segment.[49]
  • 17.9% was Walgreens’ fiscal 2024 Retail Pharmacy gross margin, down from 20.0% in fiscal 2023.[44]

Financial planning in the drugstore industry

  • $19.6 billion was CVS Health’s Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness operating expense in 2024, approximately unchanged from 2023 despite investments in operations and capabilities.[49]
  • 1,200 Walgreens stores were scheduled for closure over three years, beginning with 500 closures in 2025, under the company’s restructuring plan.[58]
  • 8,572 Walgreens locations were reported at the end of fiscal 2024, including retail stores, specialty facilities, prescription mailing facilities and micro-fulfillment centers.[44]
  • 270 stores were planned for closure by CVS Health in 2025 as part of an enterprise-wide restructuring program intended to simplify operations, improve efficiency and reduce costs.[58]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Service expansion focuses on health offerings and delivery programs. Walmart designed 100,000 prescriptions per day capacity at Frederick central-fill, and 90% of prescriptions were delivered to customers’ doors in September 2025.

Product development in the drugstore industry

  • Approximately 60 new own-brand products had been introduced by Walgreens in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 in the United States.[44]
  • 17.1% was Walgreens' own-brand penetration in the second quarter of fiscal 2024, up 95 basis points year over year in the United States.[44]
  • Four thousand Walmart stores were located in U.S. medical professional shortage areas in fiscal 2025, supporting expansion of accessible pharmacy services.[9]
  • 17.2% was Walgreens' own-brand penetration in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, up 70 basis points year over year in the United States.[44]
  • Nearly 4,600 Walmart stores had pharmacies in the United States in 2024, providing the retail network for pharmacy product and service expansion.[9]

Product lifecycle in the drugstore industry

  • 700 Walmart stores across 16 states and Washington, D.C., were supported by the Frederick central-fill facility in 2025.[9]
  • 90% of Walmart pharmacies were targeted for coverage by the company's central-fill network by the end of 2026.[9]
  • 100,000 prescriptions per day was the designed fulfillment capacity of Walmart's Frederick, Maryland, central-fill facility in 2025.[9]
  • 3.7 million pounds of cardboard, plastic and toner cartridges were recycled by Walgreens micro-fulfillment centers in fiscal 2024.[44]
  • 102,000 square feet was the size of Walmart's pharmacy central-fill facility opened in Frederick, Maryland, in 2025.[9]

After-sales in the drugstore industry

  • 46% of U.S. brick-and-mortar pharmacy customers identified health screenings as an interested service in 2023.[59]
  • 33% of U.S. pharmacy customers were unaware of any digital pharmacy brand in 2025.[59]
  • 58% of U.S. pharmacy customers aware of digital pharmacies recognized Amazon Pharmacy in 2025.[59]
  • 42% of U.S. brick-and-mortar pharmacy customers identified COVID-19 testing as an interested health and wellness service in 2023.[59]
  • 83% of U.S. brick-and-mortar pharmacy customers expressed interest in receiving health and wellness services at their pharmacy in 2023.[59]

Value proposition in the drugstore industry

  • 124 million myWalgreens loyalty members were reported as of August 31, 2024.[44]
  • More than 90% of prescription medications were delivered directly to customers' doors by Walmart in September 2025.[9]
  • $4 was the price of a 30-day supply of selected generic prescriptions under Walmart's generic prescription program in 2026.[9]
  • 55% of surveyed Walmart customers wanted prescriptions delivered with groceries and other items in one online order in 2024.[9]
  • Over 30% of Walmart Pharmacy sales came from refrigerated medications in 2025.[9]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Operational sustainability programs run alongside pharmacy services. CVS reported a 29% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse-gas emissions from its 2019 baseline in 2024.

Sustainability in the drugstore industry

  • 17,000 tonnes of materials were recycled or reused by Boots UK, Boots Ireland and Boots Opticians in FY2025.[21]
  • 9,000 metric tonnes of Boots Group waste went to landfill or incineration in FY2025, 30% below the 2019 baseline.[21]
  • 29% was CVS Health’s reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse-gas emissions from its 2019 baseline in 2024.[24]
  • 800 Boots stores offered the Recycle at Boots scheme for difficult-to-recycle health and wellness products.[60]
  • 80,000 metric tonnes of materials were recycled or reused by the Boots Group in FY2025, 109% above 2019.[21]

ESG in the drugstore industry

  • 7,000 metric tonnes of plastic had been diverted through CVS Health’s pharmacy-bottle recycling program since its launch in late 2024.[24]
  • 3,316 stores and more than 66,000 colleagues comprised the Boots Group in FY2025, excluding Boots Opticians and other franchise locations from the store count.[21]
  • 8 hours was the average amount of training received per Boots UK colleague in FY2025.[21]
  • 30% was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s reduction in waste sent to landfill or incineration versus its 2019 baseline in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 5,026 non-employee workers supported the Boots Group at the end of FY2025.[21]

Ethics in the drugstore industry

  • 100% of Boots Group part-time and full-time colleagues were required to receive annual Code of Conduct and Ethics training and formally attest to their responsibilities in FY2025.[21]
  • 365 days per year was the operating availability of the CVS Health Ethics Line for confidential reporting of ethical concerns.[24]
  • 24/7 availability in local languages was provided by the Boots Group’s independent Compliance and Ethics Hotline and online portal in FY2025.[21]

CSR in the drugstore industry

  • 4.6 billion dollars was invested by CVS Health in small businesses across the United States in 2025.[24]
  • 66,000 colleagues were supported by the Boots Group’s health, wellbeing and workplace programs in FY2025.[21]
  • 11 million-plus items had been returned through Recycle at Boots in the United Kingdom by FY2025.[21]

Circular economy in the drugstore industry

  • 37% of Boots Group waste was recovered through incineration in FY2025.[21]
  • 283,000 metric tonnes of Walgreens Boots Alliance materials were reused in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 76.4% was the fiscal 2024 recycling and reuse rate for Walgreens Boots Alliance’s U.S. Retail Pharmacy segment.[19]
  • 344,000 metric tonnes of Walgreens Boots Alliance materials were recycled in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 63% of Boots Group waste was recycled in FY2025.[21]

Carbon footprint in the drugstore industry

  • 82,000 metric tonnes was the Boots Group’s electricity-related CO₂e emissions in FY2025.[21]
  • 0.0094 thousand metric tonnes of CO₂e per million dollars of sales was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s fiscal 2024 emissions intensity.[19]
  • 14% was CVS Health’s decrease in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse-gas emissions from 2023 to 2024.[24]
  • 1,390,000 metric tonnes was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s gross Scope 1 and 2 location-based emissions in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 35% was the reduction in Walgreens Boots Alliance U.S. Retail Pharmacy Scope 2 location-based emissions from 2019 to fiscal 2024.[30]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Footprints expand through regional networks and store-scale operations. dm reported EUR 19.19 billion European revenue in fiscal 2024/25 across 14 countries, while Boots operates across 11 countries.

Globalization in the drugstore industry

  • $147.7 billion was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s sales in fiscal 2024 across the United States and Europe, with operations in eight countries.[44]
  • 4,189 stores operated dm-drogerie markt’s European network across 14 countries at the end of fiscal 2024/25.[18]
  • 12,500 locations were operated by Walgreens Boots Alliance across the United States, Europe and Latin America in 2024.[19]
  • 22.2 billion dollars was Walgreens Boots Alliance’s international-segment sales in fiscal 2023, including pharmacy, retail and wholesale activities.[44]
  • 19.19 billion euros was dm-drogerie markt’s European revenue in fiscal 2024/25 across 14 countries.[15]

Cultural adaptation in the drugstore industry

  • 381 dm stores operated in Austria in fiscal 2024/25, supported by 6,844 employees.[17]
  • 2.2 million German households shopped at dm daily during fiscal 2024/25, according to company-reported customer data.[20]
  • 14 European countries were served by dm-drogerie markt in fiscal 2024/25, spanning Germany, Central Europe and Southeastern Europe.[15]
  • 27.5% was dm’s estimated German drugstore market share by value in fiscal 2024/25.[20]
  • 18,000 articles were available through dm.de in selected product categories in 2025.[15]

Supplier management in the drugstore industry

  • 98% of Rite Aid’s prescription-drug dollar volume was purchased from McKesson under its principal supplier relationship before February 2024.[23]
  • 122 third-party manufacturers supplied Prestige Consumer Healthcare at March 31, 2024.[23]
  • 26 long-term manufacturer contracts covered approximately 72.0% of Prestige Consumer Healthcare’s gross revenue in 2024.[23]
  • 36% of Cardinal Health’s revenue came from products supplied by its five largest suppliers in fiscal 2024.[25]
  • 9% of Cardinal Health’s revenue came from its largest supplier’s products in fiscal 2024.[25]

Stakeholder management in the drugstore industry

  • 312,000 team members were employed by Walgreens Boots Alliance in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 63,600-plus employees worked for dm-drogerie markt in Germany in fiscal 2024/25.[15]
  • Approximately 12,500 Walgreens Boots Alliance locations served customers and patients across the United States, Europe and Latin America in 2024.[19]
  • Three third-party payors accounted for approximately 33% of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s consolidated sales in fiscal 2023.[44]
  • 6,844 employees worked across dm Austria’s stores, salons, cosmetics studios, headquarters and distribution center in fiscal 2024/25.[17]

Distribution channels in the drugstore industry

  • 25% of global OTC revenue was distributed through other retail channels in 2021, including mass-market retail and hospitals.[23]
  • More than 4 million prescriptions were delivered by a pharmacy delivery service in the United States during 2023.[26]
  • 68% of global OTC revenue was distributed through pharmacy channels in 2021, according to Perrigo’s reporting.[23]
  • 45 principal office facilities, 49 distribution centers and one prescription mail-service facility supported Walgreens Boots Alliance in fiscal 2024.[19]
  • 2,035 dm stores operated outside Germany at the end of fiscal 2024/25 across 13 other European countries.[70]

16 Statistics

Regional markets

The drugstore industry in Japan

  • ¥8.92 trillion was Japan’s drugstore sales in 2024, up 6.9% from 2023, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.[71]
  • 3,499 MatsukiyoCocokara group stores operated in Japan at the end of March 2025, including 1,522 in Kanto and 740 in Kansai.[72]
  • 368.1 million annual merchandising visits were recorded by SUGI Holdings in fiscal 2025 across its Japanese drugstore network.[73]
  • 23,723 drugstore locations operated across Japan in fiscal 2024, covering 380 companies, according to the Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores.[74]
  • ¥100.307 billion was Japan’s estimated drugstore industry sales in fiscal 2024, up 9.0% year on year, according to the Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores.[74]

Key questions about the Drugstore Industry

What is the U.S. drugstore market size?
The U.S. drugstore industry generated $372.3 billion in 2024 revenue, based on NAICS 446110 data.
Is prescription demand rising enough to offset margin pressure?
Demand is supported by prescription utilization, specialty medicines and GLP-1 drugs, while operators face reimbursement pressure and weaker front-store economics.
Which companies lead the drugstore industry?
CVS Health leads Gitnux's 2026 drugstore ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with 28.5% of U.S. retail pharmacy prescriptions in 2025 and about 9,000 retail locations. The Boots Group is the highest-ranked pharmacy-led retail operator at 8.6, with 1,800+ Boots pharmacies and retail stores across 11 countries.
What technology shifts matter most in 2026 for drugstore operations?
Automation and fulfillment systems expand across pharmacies, alongside store technologies: 73% used automated pill-counting in 2023 and 32% used dispensing robots in 2023.
How concentrated is the market structure upstream of pharmacies?
In PBM channels, the six largest PBMs managed nearly 95% of U.S. prescriptions in 2023, creating upstream influence over dispensing economics.
Which compliance issue is most prominent for pharmacy dispensing controls?
DSCSA compliance work is material: a 2026 blockchain-based e-prescription study models 100 million prescriptions per year and estimates a minimum dispenser cost of $0.17 per prescription.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Drugstore Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drugstore-industry-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Drugstore Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/drugstore-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Drugstore Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drugstore-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

83 sources cited across this report

  1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. sciencedirect.com
  3. ncpa.co
  4. cshp.ca
  5. ec.europa.eu
  6. databricks.com
  7. 44417324.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net
  8. downloads.ctfassets.net
  9. corporate.walmart.com
  10. investors.cvshealth.com
  11. eco-cdn.iqpc.com
  12. assets.contentstack.io
  13. informatica.com
  14. theacsi.com
  15. newsroom.dm.de
  16. organaqsis.com
  17. dm.at
  18. dm.de
  19. corporate.walgreens.com
  20. esmmagazine.com
  21. thebootsgroup.co.uk
  22. cvshealth2023inreview.com
  23. sec.gov
  24. cvshealth.com
  25. fintel.io
  26. apnews.com
  27. nabp.pharmacy
  28. careers.ashp.org
  29. aacp.org
  30. walgreensbootsalliance.com
  31. jamanetwork.com
  32. fred.stlouisfed.org
  33. cipd.org
  34. newsroom.cisco.com
  35. financialfilings.com
  36. seramount.com
  37. uspsdelivers.com
  38. axios.com
  39. assets-global.website-files.com
  40. cvsmediaexchange.com
  41. epsilon.com
  42. 8717401.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net
  43. madisonmain.com
  44. investor.walgreensbootsalliance.com
  45. emplifi.io
  46. norc.org
  47. spiegel.medill.northwestern.edu
  48. regional.nacds.org
  49. s206.q4cdn.com
  50. bls.gov
  51. d1f19qmytqk9eo.cloudfront.net
  52. img1.wsimg.com
  53. ftc.gov
  54. radial.com
  55. mckinsey.com
  56. cdn.asp.events
  57. surecost.com
  58. kiplinger.com
  59. jdpower.com
  60. boots-uk.com
  61. justice.gov
  62. fluentcommerce.com
  63. wtwco.com
  64. cpl.thalesgroup.com
  65. gov.uk
  66. levelblue.com
  67. lp.kaspersky.com
  68. iab.com
  69. hypr.com
  70. handelsdaten.de
  71. meti.go.jp
  72. matsukiyococokara.com
  73. sugi-hd.co.jp
  74. nikkankeizai.co.jp
  75. data.census.gov
  76. census.gov
  77. latimes.com
  78. 185-anniversary.aswatson.com
  79. drmax.eu
  80. dis-prod.assetful.loblaw.ca
  81. sundrug.co.jp
  82. ir.redcare-pharmacy.com
  83. cms.gov