Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical market is going through a challenging phase. Over the first ten months of 2025, sales in physical volume declined noticeably - the overall market dropped by 13 percent in packages. OTC medicines fell by 15.5 percent, and prescription drugs by 11 percent, according to IQVIA, DKNews.kz reports.
A year earlier, the market was growing by 2–3 percent and looked like it was recovering after the post-Covid period. In 2025, that trend has shifted to correction.
In monetary terms, the market still shows around 8 percent growth. But this growth is driven mainly by inflation and rising prices, not by higher consumption.
“Margins are shrinking”: costs are rising faster than the market
Arminas Macevicius, Vice President of STADA for the Eurasia region, explains:
“Volumes are declining, but in value the market remains positive - around 8 percent. This is not consumption growth, but compensation for inflation. At the same time, production costs are increasing faster: almost 80 percent of pharmaceutical ingredients are produced in India and China, and this concentration of supply makes the market sensitive to raw material price increases. Energy costs and logistics add further pressure: pharmaceutical transportation has become about 50 percent more expensive over recent years. In these conditions, company margins inevitably shrink.”
In simple terms, medicines are still needed, but producing and delivering them is becoming more expensive.
What people in Kazakhstan are buying: core habits remain
Despite the decline in volumes, the structure of demand remains stable.
From January to October 2025, the most popular STADA categories were:
- local anti-inflammatory products - about 2.4 million packs
- antispasmodics - 1.53 million
- probiotics - 1.51 million
- cardiology medicines - 1.44 million
- vitamin and mineral complexes - more than 850 thousand packs
Consumers continue to maintain basic health habits.
ePharma is no longer “extra” - it has become part of daily life
The fastest growing trend is ePharma, or online purchases of medicines and health products.
Kazakhstan today shows one of the most mature ePharma models in the region.
This has been driven by:
- the Kaspi ecosystem
- fast delivery services like Wolt and Glovo
- new players such as Arbuz
The consumer journey now often starts online: people compare prices, read reviews, check composition and ratings - even if the final purchase happens in a physical pharmacy.
Price sensitivity is rising, so transparency, ease of comparison and fast delivery matter more than ever.
Across Eurasia: one trend, different speeds
Similar dynamics are visible across the region:
- Georgia - rapid growth thanks to active pharmacy chains and q-commerce
- Armenia and Azerbaijan - digital demand is still forming
- Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan - acceleration driven by marketplaces and delivery services
Together, these changes form a stable upward trajectory for ePharma.
What’s next: online will outgrow offline
According to STADA Eurasia, online channels will grow two to three times faster than offline pharmacies in 2026–2027, especially in:
- OTC products
- vitamins
- essential goods
Q-commerce will play a key role, as fast delivery fits well with consumer expectations in healthcare.
Marketplaces will strengthen their influence and recommendation systems will increasingly shape purchasing choices.
Kazakhstan as a digital benchmark
Online is becoming the first step in decision-making.
Pharma is turning into a service - fast, transparent and user-friendly. Against this backdrop, Kazakhstan remains a technological benchmark for the region and one of the key drivers of ePharma growth.
