THE 2026 Community Pharmacy Industry Insights Report released by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, in partnership with Westpac, shows that Australia's community pharmacies continue to be the most accessible frontline primary healthcare provider.
As costofliving pressure, long waits for care and rising demand drive more patients to seek timely help closer to home, data suggests Australians still want inperson, expert healthcare support, particularly for unexpected or everyday health conditions where the wait for a GP appointment may be too long.
Among the findings were that Australians spent more than $12.5 billion in pharmacies in 2025, accounting for around one quarter of all out-of-pocket healthcare spending.
The vast majority of spending took place in-store, with online sales accounting for only 11.6% of total pharmacy spend and transaction value falling by 10% - a trend defying typical retail patterns.
Prescriptions accounted for around two-thirds (66.5%) of the spend, with the remaining third coming from pharmacy professional services and programs, pharmacy and pharmacist-only medicines, and over-the-counter products.
The report also highlighted the vital role of pharmacies in rural and regional health, and in 2025 there were 376 Australian localities where community pharmacy was the only frontline health service.
The average spend per transaction in rural and regional pharmacies was $49.75 in 2024, up from $46.11 the previous year, and growth in spend was greater than for metro area pharmacies.
Pharmacy Guild national president, Professor Trent Twomey, said the findings confirmed a significant shift in the way Australians access healthcare.
"Community pharmacy is Australia's most accessible and trusted frontline primary healthcare destination," Professor Twomey said.
"We know 90% of Australians support the expansion of in-pharmacy care and patients are voting with their feet.
"They want timely care from highly trained health professionals they trust - that's exactly what community pharmacists provide every day across the country," Professor Twomey concluded.
The full report is available HERE.
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