New research has found that just one in eight online-only pharmacies in the UK currently offer same-day delivery which is adding strain to an already ‘creaking pharmacy infrastructure’.
The report from last-mile delivery specialist Gophr found that whilst same-day delivery is available through a small number of providers, it is often limited to major urban areas such as London, Birmingham, and Manchester, leaving patients in rural regions without equal access to timely medication.
They have described it as a critical service gap that could impact patients who rely on urgent access to medication, but lack in-person pharmacy access.
Gophr’s pharmacy division, audited leading UK online pharmacy providers and their delivery options, including Pharmacy2U, Chemist4U, and Weldricks Pharmacy.
“The lack of same-day delivery options across most UK online pharmacies is a missed opportunity,” said Graham Smith, strategic account director at Gophr.
The study also found that 80 per cent of online pharmacies still rely primarily on Royal Mail’s parcel network for fulfilment, yet Ofcom’s 2024 residential-parcel survey shows that more than a third (35 per cent) of Royal Mail parcel recipients experienced at least one delivery issue in 2024, with 13 per cent saying their parcel arrived late or not at all.
“Many medications are time-critical, and traditional carriers like Royal Mail simply don’t meet the clinical-grade delivery standards pharmacies are expected to uphold. They’re unlikely to wait enough time for an elderly or unwell patient to answer the door, meaning medication can end up back at a depot when it should be in the hands of a patient,” said Smith.
The UK’s online pharmacy sector is expanding rapidly, with the top seven platforms dispensing more than 36 million items in 2024 (an 11 per cent increase year-on-year). Much of this growth is being driven by surging demand for GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, which are often prescribed via digital platforms.
With expectations of online pharmacies mounting, the market growth projected at over 55 per cent in the next five years, and 222 in-store pharmacies closing in 2024 across the UK, Gophr stressed that to build a fast, compliant, and resilient delivery infrastructure has become a core operational requirement, not just for patient safety, but for the long-term viability of online pharmacies.
"With the surge in online pharmacy demand, driven in part by the rise of elective medications like Ozempic, ensuring delivery standards are met (and exceeded) has become critical,” said Smith.
“Through our work with clients like Phlo, we've seen firsthand how impactful a dedicated, same-day model can be. Patients using online pharmacies expect convenience as the bare minimum.”
