Pharmaceutical industry in Hungary - statistics & facts

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Hungary is not only home to one of the most developed pharmaceutical markets in Central and Eastern Europe, but also to internationally recognized pharmaceutical companies. Hungary’s pharmaceutical revenue totaled 1.14 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 and is expected to follow an increasing trend over the next years.

Hungarian pharmaceutical companies' success reaches across borders

Gedeon Richter, the largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in Hungary, has grown into a key player in the CEE region. Moreover, the company has established a strong presence in the Commonwealth of Independent States, the European Union, Japan, China, and the United States. In 2023, Gedeon Richter’s revenue peaked at 805 billion forints, with a significant portion coming from exports. Hungaropharma, a domestic pharmaceutical wholesaler, also figures among the leading companies in the Hungarian pharmaceutical market, recording 522 billion forints' worth of revenue during the same year. The wholesaler occupies a significant share of the Hungarian pharmaceutical market and belongs to the country's most successful businesses based on its revenue. Hungary holds a unique position among the Visegrád Group (V4) countries, as it is the only one recording a positive trade balance in terms of pharmaceutical products. In 2023, the value of pharmaceutical exports from Hungary reached 7.8 billion euros, while imports stood at 5.6 billion euros. Germany and Poland were the leading export markets for pharmaceutical goods manufactured in Hungary. Romania, Czechia, and France were also among the main importers of Hungarian pharmaceutical products.

Hungarians have unequal access to pharmacies

Not only has the number of pharmacies operating in the country followed a decreasing trend over the past years, but there are also significant discrepancies when it comes to the regional distribution of pharmacies. While residents of Budapest can choose from a wide range of pharmaceutical retailers, the number of pharmacies in certain counties is particularly low. In 2023, Budapest recorded over 440 public pharmacies, while only 32 public pharmacies operated in Nógrád county. Additionally, many pharmacies in smaller towns and villages operate exclusively for a couple of hours a week, seriously limiting the population's access to prescription drugs and different pharmaceutical products. In 2023, Benu became Hungary’s leading pharmacy chain with a revenue of 9.51 billion forints. The widespread Benu pharmacy network is operated by the German-owned Phoenix Pharma, a prominent pharmaceutical wholesale company. The domestically founded Pingvin pharmacy chain also figures among the market leaders, recording 7.3 billion forints of revenue in the same year, placing it second in the ranking.

Industry outlook

The revenue of the Hungarian pharmaceuticals market is forecast to increase over the upcoming years, peaking at 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2028. As for OTC pharmaceuticals, the market revenue is expected to reach nearly 578 million U.S. dollars in 2029, indicating a 22 percent increase compared to the figure recorded in 2024.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Flora Medve, Jan 20, 2025

Key insights

Pharmaceuticals market revenue in Hungary
1.14bn USD
Number of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Hungary
124
Market revenue of OTC pharmaceuticals in Hungary
474m USD
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Current statistics on this topic

Total value of pharmaceutical sales in Hungary from 2010 to 2023 (in million forints)

Industry & Market

Value of pharmaceutical sales in Hungary 2010-2023

Leading pharmacy chains in Hungary from 2021 to 2023, by revenue (in billion forints)

Pharmacies

Leading pharmacy chains in Hungary 2021-2023, by revenue

Value of pharmaceutical products exported from Hungary in 2023, by type (in 1,000 euros)

Industry & Market

Pharmaceutical products export value in Hungary 2023, by type

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Overview

6

Overview

Production

4

Production

International trade

8

International trade

Pharmacies and drug sales

9

Pharmacies and drug sales

Prices and expenditure

4

Prices and expenditure

Consumption

6

Consumption

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Employment

4

Employment

Key players

5

Key players

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