Branded pharmacy chains pump up the volume

The pharmacy chains have built their brand values on assured quality, better service and discounts

For a few years now, the way people buy their medical supplies has been changing. Local stores have become spiffier as branded chains have mushroomed across neighbourhoods. Now, as a flock of online players raises the pitch with hard-to-beat offers, chains such Apollo, MedPlus and others are introducing new offers and coming up with value-added services to keep customers loyal and expand their footprint.  

The pharma retail business is highly fragmented with over seven lakh retail stores across the country. Branded stores make up for less than a per cent of the total while the rest are stand-alone mom and