One green cross hides another

"We don't sell medicines, sir", the customer is told, as he emerges from a parapharmacy in the railway station district of Luxembourg. The shop front is colourful, the green cross is similar to that of an ordinary pharmacy, so it's easy to get confused. They are there, on every street corner, have always been in the landscape, but they tend not to be talked about: pharmacies. While the products on display in the shop window and in the shop are generally so-called "parapharmacy" products, it's behind the counter that the action takes place. And contrary to popular belief, this is still the main activity of pharmacies: "It's important to remember that for most pharmacies, 3/4 or even 4/5 of their turnover comes from prescriptions and medicines. Even though we see more parapharmacy products on the pharmacy floor", explains Claude Hostert, pharmacist at the Gingko pharmacy in Luxembourg and member of the Luxembourg Pharmacists' Union (SPL).

With the proliferation of parapharmacies, the pharmacist would like to point out the major differences between these establishments: "A pharmacy open to the public can only be run by a pharmacist. This is not the case for parapharmacies. In a pharmacy open to the public, there are several categories of products for sale. There are prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, food supplements, medical devices, parapharmacy and dermocosmetics. All medicines are sold by pharmacists. Some parapharmacies are opening, others have already closed. It's a business model that thinks it can compete with pharmacies on certain products. I think they have a premium product policy, but many products are priced the same as in pharmacies. Unlike medicines, which are subject to a regulated price."