Ambitious plans to double its pharmaceutical retail stores next year are a step closer for the SPAR Group, after getting the nod from the Competition Commission to acquire the Aptekor Group this month.
This also puts it in line to take on other pharmacy retail leaders in the field, including JSE-listed Clicks and Dis-Chem, reports BusinessTech.
SPAR Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of the SPAR Group, received the nod from the Commission to acquire the Aptekor Group (Aptekor Sneldiens and Aptekor Wholesale), without conditions.
Founded more than half a century ago, Aptekor evolved from a small group of independent pharmacies into a major pharmaceutical wholesaler and courier service, supporting pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors across the Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Karoo.
According to SPAR, the acquisition marks a major milestone in its national growth strategy, where it intends to double its pharmaceutical retail reach within the next three years.
SPAR’s pharmacy network – Pharmacy at SPAR – currently includes 125 stores nationwide, and it now plans to reach 250 before the end of 2028.
It would also continue to boost and support independent pharmacists, providing services and expertise through the SPAR group, including branding and retail operation support. It said additional plans were already well under way for a Durban-based pharmaceutical wholesaler to extend SPAR Health’s reach into KwaZulu-Natal.
South Africa’s pharmacy retail market is most affiliated with Clicks and Dis-Chem, with Shoprite’s Medirite brand also becoming more prolific.
Clicks has the widest network, with more than 1 000 stores, of which around 740 are pharmacies.
The group plans to open up 55 stores and 55 pharmacies for the 2025 financial year and has committed to a medium-term target of 1 200 stores.
Link Pharmacies, which has more than 300 branded stores in the country, has close ties to Clicks. This branded group of independent pharmacies licenses the Link brand from United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD), a division of the Clicks Group.
This makes the Link Pharmacies inextricably tied to Clicks, but still independently owned.
The second-largest pharmacy brand in South Africa is Alpha Pharmacies, with more than 350 branded stores, making it the largest independent pharmaceutical retail group. The group is also founded on independent pharmacies uniting under a central banner, with franchised, independent and shareholder pharmacies under the brand.
Alpha Pharm was acquired by Swiss-based investment firm, Shogun Holding, in 2015. Earlier in 2025, the group was reacquired by local investors.
Despite being one of the most popular and prolific brands, Dis-Chem only has the fourth-largest network in the sector. While it has more than 330 stores, of these, only 285 are Dis-Chem pharmacies.
Behind the dedicated pharmacy players, South Africa’s grocery retailers are playing catch-up.
Shoprite’s Medirite brand has expanded over the years, but it is still only available in select stores and locations, with the group counting 144 outlets in 2025.
Tracking behind Shoprite is SPAR, with 125 Pharmacy @ SPAR branches.
With its latest acquisition and plans to double its presence, it should shoot past Medirite over the next few years, but is likely to still trail behind Dis-Chem.
Notably, Pick n Pay used to operate about 25 of its own pharmacy stores, but these were sold to and rebranded as Clicks stores in 2021, adding to its tally.
BusinessTech article – Major threat coming after Clicks and Dis-Chem in South Africa (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Clicks buys Pick n Pay’s retail pharmacy business
The case for a state-owned pharmaceutical company
Dis-Chem revenue tops R30bn for first time