Over 80% of pharmacy professionals plan to buy or sell a pharmacy, or both, in the next three years, new data yesterday (October 7) revealed.
According to business property adviser Christie & Co’s annual market review, 37% of “over 7,000 pharmacy professionals” surveyed have plans to buy a pharmacy in the coming three years, while 35% plan to sell one and 9% plan to do both.
Read more: Selling a pharmacy in 2025: What your pharmacy is worth and who’s buying?
The report also found that first-time buyers made up 27% of Christie & Co’s transactions in the first half of this year, while 18% of transactions were to independents, 25% were to small groups (two to 10 branches) and 26% were to regional multiples (11-50 branches).
Just 4% of the transactions were to large group or corporate operators with more than 50 pharmacies, it added.
“Slightly lower price”
Meanwhile, around three-quarters (76%) of the company’s pharmacy sales last year and in the first half of 2025 were asset sales, while 24% were sold on a share sale basis.
“While the percentage of asset sales has reduced, it is still higher than we have witnessed historically and continues to be due to the larger number of corporate sale divestments in the market,” it said.
Read more: Revealed: Average hourly locum rate drops 12% in England
It added that the continued “increased supply of pharmacies on the market” allowed some buyers to secure purchases “at a slightly lower price” – with an average of 90% of asking prices achieved in the first half of 2025, compared with 94% in 2024.
The report also said that Christie & Co had advised on, agreed or sold 320 pharmacies in the first half of this year, resulting in “a combined value of £184.9 million”, while it brought some 70 pharmacies to market over the same period.
“Strong and growing”
The report found that “despite ongoing wider economic uncertainty”, the number of instructions received by Christie & Co grew by 48% in the first half of 2025, when the new pharmacy funding deal was announced.
It said that the figure “emphasises confidence in the sector, whether from first-time buyers or existing operators expanding or developing their groups”.
Read more: Two thirds of pharmacy owners want to buy or sell in 2025, reveal pharmacy brokers
The company added that 2021-2025 data from Christie Finance, its commercial finance brokerage service, “illustrates a strong and growing pharmacy acquisition market”.
While the number of funded pharmacy transactions completed by Christie Finance in 2024/25 “remained consistent year-on-year”, debt value on new transactions instructed went up 28% between 2021 and 2025 and the size of individual deals grew by an average of 40%.
Read more: First-time pharmacy buyers rocket as GP investors enter the market
“This reflects strong ongoing buyer demand, a trend towards larger loan facilities and ongoing lender confidence in the sector,” it said.
The report also noted that while lender sentiment “generally remains robust”, there is “an increasing preference for higher-volume pharmacies”.
“Smaller volume businesses still attract finance, though the lender pool is more selective,” it added.
Read more: Top tips for new pharmacy owners
It follows Christie & Co’s 2025 business outlook report, published in January, which found that 68% of UK pharmacy owners wanted to buy or sell in 2025.
The figure combined 30% looking to buy, 34% looking to sell and 4% looking to buy and sell.
Read more: How can independents succeed when buying pharmacies from corporates?
And the same month, Hutchings Consultants’ UK pharmacy market update revealed that first-time buyers had “dominated” the market after completing 53% of its pharmacy sales across England, Scotland and Wales.
Christie & Co’s 2025 market review also yesterday revealed that the average hourly pay rate for locum pharmacists in England has dropped almost 12% over the past year.
