Pharmacies across Germany closed their doors on Monday in a coordinated day of protest, demanding the government deliver on a promised increase to prescription dispensing fees. Rallies were held in Berlin, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Hannover, while emergency on-call pharmacies remained open to ensure patients could still access urgent medication.
The action, organized by the ABDA, the national association of pharmacist bodies, centers on the fixed fee pharmacists receive for each prescription package, currently €8.35. That amount has been raised only once in the past 13 years, even as operating costs for wages, rent, and energy have climbed roughly 65 percent. The coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD pledged to raise the fee to €9.50, but the government postponed the move citing pressure on health insurance finances.
Health Minister Nina Warken recently indicated she plans to present the implementing regulation this spring. Pharmacists say the protest is meant to hold the government to that commitment. ABDA president Thomas Preis urged swift action, stressing that the coalition agreement must be implemented promptly.
The financial squeeze has accelerated pharmacy closures nationwide. Germany ended 2025 with just 16,601 pharmacies, 440 fewer than the year before and roughly 20 percent fewer than in 2013. The decline, once limited to rural areas, is now affecting cities as well.
Organizers stressed that the action is a protest by pharmacy owners, not a labor strike. Employees receive full pay for the day. Designated emergency pharmacies remained staffed in every region, and patients were advised to use online tools to locate the nearest open location.
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