£64.2bn
£X.Xbn
75,421
2,840
£X.Xbn
The pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chain is ever-changing. Wholesalers must follow and react to a dynamic environment with various regulations, licenses, taxation and shipping considerations. The loss of patent protection for several high-profile drugs has hampered performance because it has lowered revenue from such medications. Tightening regulation has encouraged greater consumption of generic medicines and intensified downward pricing pressures, denting profitability. Regulatory and funding challenges threaten wholesalers, favouring the retail of low-price generic drugs instead of high-end branded varieties.
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £64.2bn in 2024.
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue (£m)
2025 |
---|---|---|
Alliance Healthcare (Distribution) Ltd | 6,516.0 | |
AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd | 3,568.7 | |
Phoenix Healthcare Distribution Ltd | 1,722.2 |
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Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Prescription-only pharmaceuticals, Other pharmaceuticals and Medical and surgical equipment, apparatus, appliances and furniture. Prescription-only pharmaceuticals is the largest segment of the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK.
Prescription-only pharmaceutical sales sink thanks to a flood of generics
This industry covers businesses that wholesale pharmaceuticals or medical goods. These companies distribute medical and surgical equipment, vaccination kits and other pharmaceutical products to pharmacies, specialist retailers, hospitals, doctors and other expert medical practitioners.
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SIC 46.46 - Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Regulatory changes have intensified pricing pressures. Government legislation like the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme has increased the shift towards the retail of ge...
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Prescription-only pharmaceutical sales tumble. This segment's revenue share has decreased as patents have expired and new low-cost generic drugs have become available. The NH...
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
London has more community pharmacies than any other region. This factor makes it an attractive region for establishing wholesaling operations. The capital is also home to the...
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Companies compete by offering suitable distribution arrangements. Thanks to the time-sensitive nature of most medical procedures, customers require reliable and timely delive...
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
There are two types of wholesalers in the pharmaceutical market. Full-line wholesalers can supply the entire range of prescription medicines (approximately 12,000 product lin...
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
The number of NHS prescriptions dispensed is climbing. There has been a marked acceleration in the number of NHS prescriptions dispensed recently. This trend has positively i...
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Operating profit fell due to cost-push inflation pressures. Despite this, the outlook's brightening; wholesalers are expected to bounce back as supply chain disruptions ease ...
Including values and annual change:
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Key data sources in the UK include:
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These sources include:
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The market size of the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £64.2bn in 2024.
There are 2,840 businesses in the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2019 and 2024.
The market size of the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2019 and 2024.
Over the next five years, the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.
The biggest companies operating in the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling market in United Kingdom are Alliance Healthcare (Distribution) Ltd, AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Phoenix Healthcare Distribution Ltd
Prescription-only pharmaceuticals and Other pharmaceuticals are part of the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK industry.
The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Alliance Healthcare (Distribution) Ltd.
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK industry in United Kingdom.