German pharmacists stage mass closures in protest over stagnant pay

A decade of frozen fees and soaring costs has pushed pharmacies to the brink. Now, they're fighting back—with empty shelves and locked doors.

, and Administrator

2026 March 22 . 11:03 AM

1 min read

The image shows a large group of people sitting in an airport, some of them holding bags and... — The image shows a large group of people sitting in an airport, some of them holding bags and papers, while others are standing. There are boards with text in the background, as well as mannequins with dresses, and lights on the ceiling. It appears to be a protest at the airport.

Pharmacy Protest: On-Call Service Instead of Regular Operation on Monday - German pharmacists stage mass closures in protest over stagnant pay

Pharmacists across Germany are preparing for a protest on Monday, with many closing their doors for the day. The action aims to draw attention to stagnant remuneration and rising costs that have squeezed the sector for years. Customers in Brandenburg and other regions will face disruptions, though emergency services will remain available.

The protest comes as pharmacists highlight a fixed per-package dispensing fee of €8.35, unchanged since 2011. Over the same period, personnel and material expenses have soared by around 65 percent. The gap between costs and compensation has contributed to a sharp decline in the number of pharmacies nationwide.

In 2013, Germany had 20,662 pharmacies, but by the end of 2025, that number had dropped to 16,601—a loss of nearly one-fifth. Last year alone, 502 pharmacies closed their doors. The coalition government has proposed raising the dispensing fee to €9.50, but no timeline for implementation has been set. While many pharmacies in Brandenburg will shut on Monday, all emergency services will stay open. Organisers stress that the protest is not meant to punish customers but to push for fairer pay in line with inflation and operational costs.

The protest underscores long-standing financial pressures on German pharmacies. With compensation frozen for over a decade and expenses climbing, the sector continues to shrink. Monday's closures will serve as a visible reminder of the challenges facing pharmacists and their call for reform.