Pharmaceutical market analysis in Poland
Poland is the fifth-largest medicines market in the European Union. According to EFPIA, sales of medicines through all channels were worth €13.1 bn at ex-factory prices in 2024. The pharmacy market alone reached PLN 61.3 bn at retail prices in 2025 (KAMSOFT). This brief brings together the latest data on market value, the largest companies, the number of pharmacies, pharmaceutical exports and reimbursement.
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How much is the pharmaceutical market in Poland worth?
According to KAMSOFT, the Polish pharmacy market was worth PLN 61.3 bn at retail prices in 2025, up 9.5% on 2024. According to EFPIA, the whole medicines market, including hospitals, was worth €13.1 bn at ex-factory prices in 2024.
The pharmacy market has grown steadily. It was worth PLN 46.0 bn in 2022 and PLN 61.3 bn in 2025 (KAMSOFT). Other research firms report similar figures. According to PEX PharmaSequence, the pharmacy market grew by 9.7% in 2025 to almost PLN 60 bn; IQVIA puts growth at 8.3%.
Growth comes mainly from prices and more expensive medicines, not from the number of packs sold. According to PEX, pack volumes rose by only 0.5% in 2025. Prescription medicines grew fastest: reimbursed ones by 15.3% and non-reimbursed ones by 13.4%. Over-the-counter products grew by 3.8%, but still account for 42% of pharmacy turnover. Obesity and diabetes drugs made a large contribution. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) sold PLN 1.6 bn in 2025, and semaglutide products PLN 1.4 bn.
Hospitals are also part of the medicines market. According to IQVIA, the total pharmaceutical market (pharmacies and hospitals) exceeded PLN 40 bn in the first half of 2025. The hospital market grew faster than the pharmacy market, by 17.9% y/y.
In Europe, Poland is a large market but a small producer. According to EFPIA, sales of medicines in Poland in 2024 (€13.1 bn) were the fifth-highest in the EU, after Germany, France, Italy and Spain. It is the largest market in Central and Eastern Europe. Generics account for 49.3% of the market by value. Pharmaceutical production was €3.7 bn, ranking 12th in the EU.
| Year | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (PLN bn) | 46.0 | 50.4 | 55.9 | 61.3 |
| Change y/y | n/a | +9.5% | +11% | +9.5% |
| Segment | Share of value (PEX) | Growth 2025 y/y (PEX) | Growth 2025 y/y (IQVIA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reimbursed prescription medicines | 29% | +15.3% | +14.9% |
| Non-reimbursed prescription medicines | 29% | +13.4% | +9.4% |
| Over-the-counter products | 42% | +3.8% | +3.3% |
For suppliers: the Polish pharmacy market is growing in value, not in volume, so suppliers whose revenue follows pack numbers (e.g. packaging or logistics) should not expect the same growth rate as the headline figure.
02
Who are the leaders of the pharmaceutical market in Poland?
According to the Wprost ranking, the largest pharmaceutical company in Poland by revenue in 2023 was Polpharma, with PLN 3.64 bn. According to PEX PharmaSequence, Polpharma also led pharmacy sales of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines in December 2025.
The top five companies by 2023 revenue were Polpharma, Lek (part of Sandoz), Roche Polska, GSK Services and Teva Operations Poland. Three Polish-owned companies are in the top ten: Polpharma, Adamed Pharma and USP Zdrowie. The ranking covers Polish subsidiaries, not the global groups.
The companies work in different ways. Polpharma, Lek, Teva and Adamed mainly make generic medicines in Poland, i.e. cheaper versions of drugs whose patents have expired. Roche, AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim mainly sell innovative medicines. USP Zdrowie, Aflofarm and Haleon are strong in over-the-counter products and supplements.
The order in pharmacy sales differs from the revenue ranking. In December 2025, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, makers of obesity and diabetes drugs, followed Polpharma in prescription medicines. In over-the-counter medicines, Polpharma was followed by USP Zdrowie, Haleon and Aflofarm.
According to PKO Bank Polski, revenue of medicine manufacturers in Poland (NACE 21) was PLN 28.3 bn in 2024. About 25% of it came from exports.
| # | Company | Revenue 2023 (PLN bn) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zakłady Farmaceutyczne Polpharma | 3.64 |
| 2 | Lek (Sandoz) | 3.45 |
| 3 | Roche Polska | 2.93 |
| 4 | GSK Services | 2.18 |
| 5 | Teva Operations Poland | 2.17 |
| 6 | Adamed Pharma | 1.72 |
| 7 | Bausch Health Poland | 1.70 |
| 8 | AstraZeneca Pharma Poland | 1.28 |
| 9 | USP Zdrowie | 1.27 |
| 10 | Boehringer Ingelheim | 1.23 |
| Rank | Prescription medicines | Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polpharma | Polpharma |
| 2 | Eli Lilly | USP Zdrowie |
| 3 | Novo Nordisk | Haleon |
| 4 | Adamed | Aflofarm |
| 5 | Teva | Opella Healthcare |
For suppliers: a short list of companies, led by Polpharma and the large generics makers, accounts for a big share of local production, so a supplier of APIs, packaging or contract services can map most of the domestic demand with a small number of accounts.
03
How many pharmacies are there in Poland, and how is the number changing?
According to Statistics Poland (GUS), there were 11,000 community pharmacies and 1,100 pharmacy outlets in Poland at the end of 2025. The number of pharmacies fell by 1.8% on the previous year, and the number of outlets by 0.2%.
The number of pharmacies has been falling for several years. In 2018 GUS counted 12,900 community and in-house pharmacies, and in 2023 11,500. From 2025, GUS changed its data collection method and reports community pharmacies separately, so recent years cannot be compared directly with earlier ones.
In 2025 there were on average 3,089 residents per pharmacy, 40 more than a year earlier. The highest figure was in Pomorskie (3,536), the lowest in Lubelskie (2,691). Mail-order sales were offered by 233 pharmacies and 6 pharmacy outlets. Pharmacies and outlets employed 25,400 pharmacists (−3.3%) and 28,700 pharmacy technicians (−3.6%).
While the number of pharmacies is falling, chains are gaining share. According to IQVIA, the 17 largest chains (at least 50 pharmacies each) had 3,411 pharmacies and 42.1% of pharmacy market value in December 2025, up from 40.5% a year earlier. Virtual chains, i.e. groups of independent pharmacies that buy and market together, had a further 19.5%. An average chain pharmacy (chains of 5 or more) sold PLN 579,000 a month, against PLN 286,000 for an independent pharmacy (owners of 1–4 pharmacies).
The market is shaped by an amendment to the Pharmaceutical Law known as “Pharmacy for Pharmacists” (Apteka dla Aptekarza). Since 25 June 2017, only a pharmacist or a partnership of pharmacists can obtain a permit for a new pharmacy. An applicant that, together with related companies, already runs 4 or more pharmacies cannot get one. A new pharmacy also needs at least 3,000 residents per pharmacy in the municipality and at least 500 m to the nearest pharmacy.
| Indicator | Value | Change y/y |
|---|---|---|
| Community pharmacies | 11,000 | −1.8% |
| Pharmacy outlets | 1,100 | −0.2% |
| Residents per pharmacy | 3,089 | +40 |
| Pharmacists | 25,400 | −3.3% |
| Pharmacy technicians | 28,700 | −3.6% |
| Pharmacies and outlets with mail-order sales | 239 | −5 |
| Pharmacy group | December 2024 | December 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 largest chains (50+ pharmacies) | 40.5% (3,387 pharmacies) | 42.1% (3,411 pharmacies) |
| Virtual chains | 18.1% (13 chains, 3,267 pharmacies) | 19.5% (14 chains, 3,575 pharmacies) |
For foreign companies: opening new pharmacies in Poland is restricted, so entry into pharmacy retail usually means working with existing chains, virtual chains or wholesalers rather than building a network from scratch.
04
How much medicine does Poland export?
According to Eurostat, Poland exported pharmaceutical products worth €7.18 bn in 2025, 11% more than in 2024. Imports were almost twice as high, at €13.93 bn.
Pharmaceutical exports are growing fast. They have almost doubled since 2019, from €3.65 bn to €7.18 bn in 2025. Imports are growing just as fast, so the trade deficit in medicines was about €6.75 bn in 2025. The data cover the whole of Chapter 30 of the Combined Nomenclature (pharmaceutical products), including goods imported and then re-sold abroad.
Most exports go to the EU: 72% in 2025. Germany is the largest buyer (€1.71 bn, 24% of exports). Hungary is second (€0.71 bn), with exports up 37% y/y. Outside the EU, the largest destinations are Russia and the UK (about €0.3 bn each).
Poland produces fewer medicines than it uses. According to EFPIA, pharmaceutical production was €3.7 bn in 2024, and the industry employed about 26,800 people in 2023. According to Wprost, only about 20% of the substances on Poland’s National List of Critical Medicines are made in Poland. The rest are imported.
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | 3.65 | 4.32 | 4.61 | 5.24 | 5.85 | 6.47 | 7.18 |
| Imports | 6.68 | 7.55 | 8.64 | 9.68 | 10.48 | 12.85 | 13.93 |
| Country | Exports 2025 (€ bn) |
|---|---|
| Germany | 1.71 |
| Hungary | 0.71 |
| Russia | 0.33 |
| Czechia | 0.31 |
| United Kingdom | 0.31 |
| France | 0.26 |
| Denmark | 0.24 |
| Italy | 0.23 |
For exporters to Poland: Poland imports almost twice as much medicine as it exports, and the industry is pushing for more critical medicines to be made locally. Both point to demand for imported finished products today and for local production partners in the coming years.
05
How does reimbursement shape the medicines market?
According to the National Health Fund (NFZ), spending on drug reimbursement was PLN 30.04 bn in 2025, up 17.6% on 2024. Reimbursement is now the fastest-growing part of the market: reimbursed medicines in pharmacies grew by 15.3% in 2025 (PEX).
NFZ money flows through two main channels. The first is pharmacies: in 2025 the NFZ spent PLN 12.00 bn on reimbursing pharmacy medicines. The second is hospital drug programmes, i.e. expensive therapies, for example in oncology: PLN 12.91 bn. Chemotherapy took PLN 0.96 bn.
The NFZ is also paying a growing share of the price of prescription medicines. According to GUS, prescription drug sales were PLN 33.4 bn in 2025, up 13.1% on the previous year. Reimbursement covered 45.9% of this amount, up from 39.3% in 2022. Patients paid PLN 18.1 bn out of pocket. Spending on prescription medicines was PLN 893 per person. Almost all prescriptions (97.8%) were electronic.
According to KAMSOFT, reimbursement made up 26.38% of total pharmacy turnover in 2025 (PLN 16.2 bn), against 24.95% in 2024.
For companies in the medicines market this means two things. First, a drug’s sales depend heavily on whether it is on the Minister of Health’s reimbursement list. Second, market growth depends on the NFZ budget, not only on patient demand.
| Item | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total reimbursement | 25.54 | 30.04 | +17.6% |
| of which pharmacy medicines | 10.54 | 12.00 | +13.9% |
| of which drug programmes | 10.88 | 12.91 | +18.7% |
For foreign manufacturers: reimbursement listing is the main route to volume in Poland, so the reimbursement application and pricing negotiations deserve as much planning as distribution.
This text is not a full market analysis or competitor analysis of the kind we carry out for our clients. This publication contains only selected information about the market, which we can expand in more depth on request.
MarketHub expert comment
“The Polish pharmacy market is growing by almost 10% a year, but the number of packs sold has barely moved. Growth comes from prices, expensive prescription drugs and reimbursement, while the number of pharmacies is falling and chains take a growing share of sales. For a company supplying packaging, logistics, equipment or services to drug makers and pharmacies, this means fewer but larger customers, whose buying depends more and more on the NFZ budget and the reimbursement lists.”
Author: Katarzyna Kucia · Updated by: Patrycja Hrabiec-Hojda, 17 October 2026
Sources:
Pharmaceutical market in Poland
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Source: MarketHub, “Pharmaceutical market analysis in Poland”, markethub.pl, updated 10.2026