Actavis has relaunched its Accumulator buying scheme with higher discounts and lower trade prices for pharmacy customers.

The scheme, relaunched on October 1, now includes discounts of up to 30 per cent for pharmacies spending more than £4,000 a month. The generics manufacturer has also cut more than 180 trade prices.

The new rates should help pharmacies survive financial pressures, said Actavis director Michael Cann.

"It's very clear to us it's a challenging environment and pharmacies need to be sure their profit and income streams are maintained," he said. "We've relaunched the Accumulator scheme to show pharmacy that we're prepared to adapt our pricing to meet their needs as we go forward."

The scheme was designed to be "clear and transparent" to minimise the time pressure on pharmacists, he added.

"One of the key issues is that pharmacies find themselves under time pressure," he said. "We recognise that pharmacists don't have the time to scan every price list and ring every wholesaler."

Pharmacists interested in joining the Accumulator scheme can contact their Actavis sales representative or customer service team on 0800 731 0370 for more details.