OTC/ Consumer Health market Portugal with the most important distributors and importers

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................3

2. Market Definition and Scope........................................................................................................3

3. Market Size and Structure...........................................................................................................4

3.1 Consumer health in the pharmacy channel..........................................................................4

3.2 Non-prescription medicines by channel................................................................................4

3.3 Food supplements and overall estimate...............................................................................5

3.4 Demand drivers and regional structure.................................................................................5

4. Key Players..................................................................................................................................6

4.1 Brand owners and marketers................................................................................................6

4.2 Pharmaceutical wholesalers.................................................................................................6

4.3 Retail.....................................................................................................................................6

5. Distribution Channels and Route-to-Market................................................................................7

5.1 Business models...................................................................................................................7

6. Market Opportunities for New Foreign Suppliers.........................................................................7

6.1 Branded products..................................................................................................................7

6.2 No-name and private-label products.....................................................................................8

6.3 Position by supplier origin.....................................................................................................8

7. Products and Product Groups with Particularly Good Sales Prospects......................................8

8. Market Access Requirements......................................................................................................9

8.1 Requirements by product category.......................................................................................9

8.2 Requirements by supplier origin......................................................................................... 10

9. Prices, Margins and Taxes........................................................................................................11

10. Practical Market Entry Roadmap.............................................................................................11

11. Directory of Importers and Distribution Partners.....................................................................12

11.1 Full-line pharmaceutical wholesalers (generalists)...........................................................12

11.2 OTC, pharma and consumer-health importers, marketers and licensees........................14

11.3 Food supplements, dietetics, natural health and online specialists..................................16

11.4 Cosmetics and full-range non-food importers...................................................................17

11.5 Private-label manufacturing and market-entry service providers.....................................18

11.6 Pharmacy networks and associations..............................................................................18

11.7 Retail chains, drugstores and central buying....................................................................19

11.8 Overview: partner type versus product group...................................................................20

12. Sources and Methodology.......................................................................................................20

12.1 Methodology..................................................................................................................... 20

12.2 Main sources.....................................................................................................................21

1. Executive Summary

Portugal is a compact but attractive consumer-health market of about 10.6 million inhabitants with one of the oldest populations in the European Union, a strong self-care culture and a pharmacy-centred distribution system. This study is written as a self-contained reference for foreign manufacturers and brand owners who want to sell non-prescription medicines (OTC), food supplements, self-care medical devices or pharmacy cosmetics in Portugal – either under their own brand or as private label. Key findings at a glance: • Pharmacy consumer-health sales reached about EUR 1.63 billion (moving annual total to February 2026, retail value, +5% year-on-year) and account for 27% of total pharmacy turnover of about EUR 5.37 billion (IQVIA). The OTC segment alone represents EUR 949 million or 58% of pharmacy consumer health. • Licensed non-prescription medicines (MNSRM) generated about EUR 224 million in the first half of 2024 (approx. EUR 450 million annualised); 79% of the value is sold in pharmacies and 21% in roughly 1,400 registered non-pharmacy outlets (Infarmed). The retail group MC (Continente/Wells) is by far the largest seller outside pharmacies. • Food supplements are worth around EUR 500 million per year across all channels and grow by an estimated 5–7% annually (Nielsen/Marktest data quoted in the trade press). • Estimated total consumer-health market (pharmacy, para-pharmacy, grocery, health-food stores and online): approximately EUR 2.0–2.4 billion at retail prices (own estimate derived from the figures above). • Distribution is concentrated: six full-line pharmaceutical wholesalers organised in ADIFA supply some 2,900 community pharmacies; pharmacy networks (Farmácias Portuguesas/ANF, Farmácias Holon) and the retailer MC (Continente, Wells) are important gate-keepers. • Best opportunities exist in food supplements (magnesium, healthy ageing, sleep/stress, joint, digestive and women’s health), eye care (artificial tears), self-tests and patient-care devices, dermocosmetics and sun care, paediatric self-care and weight management – both as brands and as private label for retailers, pharmacy networks and wholesaler own brands. • Entry route: most foreign OTC brands enter via a Portuguese licensee/marketer with a pharmacy field force; supplements and cosmetics can also be listed directly with wholesalers, retailers and online specialists. Portuguese-language labelling is mandatory; OTC medicines require a marketing authorisation (national, MRP/DCP or centralised). • Non-EU suppliers additionally need an EU-based responsible entity (marketing-authorisation holder, cosmetics Responsible Person, medical-device Authorised Representative or importer of record), customs clearance and – for medicines – EU batch release.