Pharmacy Protest: On-Call Service Instead of Regular Operation on Monday - German pharmacists stage mass protest over frozen funding and closures

Pharmacists across Germany are preparing for a large-scale protest on Monday. The action will see many pharmacies in Brandenburg close their doors, though emergency services will stay open. The demonstration highlights long-standing concerns over funding and the shrinking number of pharmacies nationwide.

The protest comes as pharmacists face rising costs and outdated compensation rates. Since 2013, personnel and material expenses have jumped by around 65 percent. Yet the per-package dispensing fee remains stuck at €8.35, unchanged for 13 years.

The financial strain has taken a toll on the sector. In 2013, Germany had roughly 20,800 pharmacies. By the end of 2025, that number will have dropped to 16,601—a loss of about 4,200, or nearly one-fifth of the total. The decline has been steady, with many owners blaming insufficient funding as a key factor. While the coalition government has proposed raising the dispensing fee to €9.50, the change has yet to take effect. Pharmacists argue that current payments fail to cover rising living costs, pushing more businesses to close. Monday's protest aims to push for urgent reforms before further damage is done.

The protest will disrupt normal pharmacy services in Brandenburg, though emergency care will continue as usual. With costs climbing and compensation frozen for over a decade, the industry warns that more closures could follow. The outcome of Monday's action may determine whether long-awaited funding adjustments finally move forward.