Pharmacy retail sales recover on cosmetics demandBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterConsumers in August spent NT$16.7 billion (US$575.5 million) at local pharmacy retailers, a 4.1 percent annual increase, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. Pharmacy retailers include drugstore chains, such as Cosmed (康是美) and Watsons (屈臣氏), as well as independent pharmacies. The ministry defines pharmacy retail sales as including sales of medicines, medical equipment and dietary supplements, as well as those of cosmetics and skincare products. Pharmacy retail sales declined during the first few months of the outbreak because cosmetic sales dropped, Department of Statistics Deputy Director-General Huang Wei-jie (黃偉傑) told the Taipei Times by telephone. Pharmacy retail sales returning to growth in July and August reflects that life is returning to normal, he said.

Source: Taipei Times October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC