The main trends that determine the development of pharmaceutical retail in the first half of 2014 come from the end of last year. The main and most noticeable event here, of course, are the processes of market consolidation, which manifested themselves as in a series of various deals, as in creation of various alliances, whose role in the market is increasing each day. Over the past year the share of the top-15 largest networks has increased by 0,7% reaching the level of 21,3%.

Additional dynamics comes from regulatory initiatives, as well as from the reaction to them by professional community. Here, the most serious consequences may have an issue of permission to sell drugs in supermarkets. Although the initiative in its current form is hardly viable, if the government will show persistence in this question, the market should be ready for rather serious changes. Initiatives "from below" should also be noted: major retail players offer to impose restrictions on the opening of new stores, other "groups" are preparing initiatives to regulate the internet commerce sphere, etc.

Finally, there are also "psychological factors", which to a considerable degree hold back the demand development in the pharmaceutical retail sector. Here we must have in mind the worsening situation in Ukraine, and sactions exchange between Russia and a number of foreign countries.