In 2023, medical equipment and devices on the Russian retail market (e-com included) went up in price 6.2% from 2022. The inflation rates were vastly different for various types of medical equipment. In particular, the prices for blood glucose monitors went up the most, with the inflation rate never going down below zero, unlike the other four types of equipment. The prices for glucose monitors started to grow significantly in June 2023, peaking in April 2024 with 90.6%. In May 2024, the inflation rate decreased slightly, to 90.4% (Fig. 1). Another peculiarity is that the prices index in the online market for the most part of 2023 was significantly higher than that in the offline segment. In January–May 2024 2024, however, the price index in the online channel was not as high as that in the offline market, 63.5% against 72%. The total price index in the category was 78.4%.

At the same time, the prices for test strips were falling in 2023; the downward trend was in April 2023–February 2024. In March 2024, the price index went up, reaching 5.8% in May 2024. In January–May 2024, the total inflation rate was only 1.8%. In the online market, however, it was somewhat higher, 2.6%.

Fig. 1. Inflation rates* in the glucose monitor and test strip retail market in January 2023–May 2024, %

In the spring 2023, the prices for nebulizers were fluctuating, especially in e-com. The price index reached its lowest in April 2023, when the prices in both online and offline markets fell 10.7% (Fig. 2) and by only 1.6% in the offline channel. In December 2023, the average prices for nebulizers once again started to grow, with the price index at 6% in May 2024. In January–May 2024, the online prices for nebulizers fell 2.1%, while the prices in the offline market grew to 7.4%. The total inflation rate was 3.8% in January–May 2024.

Fig. 2. Inflation rates* in the nebulizer retail market in January 2023–May 2024, %

The prices for medical thermometers of all types were falling in 2023. In November 2023, the prices went up 0.6% and then continued to grow further (Fig. 3), with the inflation rate peaking in May 2024 at 5.4%. The price indices were practically the same both offline and online. In January–May 2024, the online prices for thermometers went up 5.6% against 3.6% in the offline channel. The total inflation rate in the analyzed period was 3.7%.

Fig. 3. Inflation rates* in the thermometer retail market in January 2023–May 2024, %

For the most part of 2023, the prices for blood pressure monitors were falling as well. The prices fell by 13.6% in April 2023, before starting to grow again, with the inflation rate reaching positive values in late 2023. In May 2024, it was as high as 7.3%. In e-com, however, the inflation rate remained negative in January–May 2024, –1.4%, while that in the offline channel was 7.5%. The total inflation rate was 4.1% in the analyzed period.

Fig. 4. Inflation rates* in the blood pressure monitor retail market in January 2023–May 2024, %