The Competition Council reveals in Rabat the imbalances in the pharmaceutical distribution market and warns of the bankruptcy threat to thousands of pharmacies in Morocco.
On the morning of Tuesday, March 10, 2026, the headquarters of the Competition Council in the capital, Rabat, hosted a press conference dedicated to presenting the Council’s opinion on the state of competition in the pharmaceutical distribution markets in Morocco. The event was attended by several media representatives and professionals in the pharmacy sector.
The conference was chaired by the Council’s president, who presented a detailed overview of the main findings from the analysis conducted regarding the structure of the pharmaceutical market in the kingdom, the level of competition within the distribution system, and the economic and regulatory challenges facing pharmacies. During this meeting, the Council reviewed the key conclusions from the report before opening the floor to journalists for questions and inquiries about the sector’s reality and reform prospects.
The report revealed that about 4,000 pharmacies across the country are at risk of bankruptcy due to increasing financial pressures facing the sector, amid low medication consumption rates among citizens. According to the data presented by the Council, the average spending of a Moroccan on medications does not exceed 640 dirhams annually, based on 2024 data. This figure is considered low compared to several other countries, where it averages around 1,200 dirhams in Tunisia, 5,500 dirhams in France, 5,000 dirhams in Belgium, 8,000 dirhams in Germany, 4,200 dirhams in Portugal, and 6,000 dirhams in Italy, while in Egypt it reaches about 600 dirhams per year.
The Council noted that the low pharmaceutical consumption in Morocco directly affects pharmacies’ financial performance, especially amid rising operational costs related to management and human resources. It clarified that the pharmaceutical distribution system in Morocco relies mainly on the commercial margin applied to the factory price (PFHT) as the primary source of income for pharmacies, while the current system does not include specific compensations or fees for other pharmaceutical services such as consultations or health guidance services.
According to the report, the total number of pharmacies in Morocco stands at 14,134, compared to 14,191 registered pharmacists, reflecting a near one-to-one ratio. The country has an average of 38.4 pharmacies per 100,000 inhabitants. The Council emphasized that the Moroccan model is based on exclusivity, where the law prohibits non-pharmacists from owning or controlling pharmacies, and the establishment of new pharmacies requires administrative licensing granted by the local provincial governor under specific conditions.
These conditions include maintaining a legal distance of no less than 300 meters between pharmacies, and the requirement for the pharmacy to be managed by a registered pharmacist-owner, along with compliance with duty schedules and opening hours.
In conclusion, the Competition Council affirmed that the pharmaceutical distribution market in Morocco faces structural and economic challenges that require consideration of gradual reforms to improve balance within the system and enhance the competitiveness of the sector, ensuring the sustainability of pharmacies and improving the quality of health services provided to citizens. The conference served as an opportunity to exchange views with media representatives on the future of the pharmaceutical market and the measures necessary for its development within a framework of transparency and fair competition.
