There’s a good reason why parapharmacies are gaining ground beyond their French origins. These health and beauty destinations offer wellness products, skincare, and over-the-counter medications (no prescription needed) alongside expert advice, often from trained pharmacists. In France, the market is already worth over €6 billion, popular for its wide selection of cult-favorite dermo cosmetics and self-care essentials.
This model is now catching on across Europe as consumers seek trusted, health-focused retail experiences that feel approachable, not clinical. Even the likes of Amazon are getting involved. The online retailer recently opened its first physical parapharmacy in Milan; a clear sign that the format’s blend of convenience, credibility, and affordable healthcare products is poised for wider growth.
Want to capture more of this opportunity and grow your parapharmacy business? Here are six practical tips to help your parapharmacy stand out and sell more.
1. Let customer data guide your product selection
Consumers' shopping habits reflect their lifestyles. According to Statista, 87% of French consumers prefer to buy their medications and products in physical parapharmacy stores. The number is even higher in Italy, where 90% of consumers buy their parapharmacy products in store.
To be able to accurately track what brands, medications, beauty products, etc., it’s important to make sure your business is equipped with analytics tools that can help you make sense of who’s walking through your doors and what they’re putting in their baskets. Are your regulars health-conscious gymgoers stocking up on protein powders? Or parents picking up teething gel and nappies?
When you understand these patterns, you can optimize your assortment to match local demand, giving customers more opportunity to find what they’re looking for, and encouraging them to return time and again.
2. Keep your bestsellers in stock
Empty shelves are a quick way to put customers off. Whether they’re looking for allergy remedies in spring, or sunscreen during a heatwave, when demand spikes, staying well stocked can make all the difference in retaining loyalty and maximizing revenue.
This is where automated replenishment systems come in. These systems track historical sales trends and adjust orders based on forecasted demand to keep your inventory levels just right without risking over or understocking.
On top of that, you can more easily manage products with a designated shelf life, ensuring that they are replenished within their appropriate time frame, and removed from the shelves when they reach their expiry. This not only keeps your bestsellers available for your customers to keep purchasing, but also helps your business stay compliant with industry regulations.
3. Connect your online and in-store retail experiences
Today’s shoppers shop across many different channels, and they expect a unified journey wherever and however they interact with your brand. A customer might research skincare ingredients online, visit your store to test textures or speak with an expert, redeem loyalty rewards through your app, and expect personalized reminders for reorders sent directly to their phone.
To attract and retain these omnichannel customers, it’s crucial to create a seamless connection between your digital and physical touchpoints. This means ensuring product availability and pricing are consistent across platforms, loyalty programs are fully integrated, and customer data flows smoothly from one channel to the next to support personalized experiences.
Amazon’s new Milan parapharmacy is a great example. It merges digital convenience with in-person service through interactive displays, personalized consultations, and connected shopping tools. Whether customers are exploring new products or replenishing staples, every touchpoint feels intuitive and tailored.
4. Make checkout quick and easy
No one enjoys waiting in line, especially when they’re just popping in for allergy tablets or a bottle of hand sanitizer. For parapharmacies, where many purchases are quick and need-based, a slow checkout can easily turn a routine visit into a frustrating experience. And frustrated customers are less likely to return.
Solutions like self-service kiosks and mobile scan-and-go apps put speed and convenience directly in the hands of your shoppers. For example, mobile self-scanning allows customers to scan items as they shop and pay without having to queue, freeing them to move at their own pace and avoid the bottleneck at the register.
The impact goes beyond convenience. According to research from Capital One, 73% of customers customers prefer quick and easy checkout experiences, favoring self-checkout over traditional cashier lines. When customers aren’t rushed or delayed at the till, they’re more likely to spend time browsing, discover new products, and add extra items to their basket— especially if they know they can check out in seconds.
5. Offer payment flexibility
Consumers want flexibility at the checkout, whether they’re paying with cash, card, a digital wallet, or a quick tap of their phone. Contactless has surged in popularity, now making up over two-thirds of all in-store purchases, according to a Mastercard report. It’s the new standard for fast, secure transactions that keeps lines moving and customers happy.
Younger shoppers especially are driving the shift toward more modern payment options. QR code payments, mobile wallets, and buy now, pay later (BNPL) services are gaining ground fast. A recent survey from PYMNTS found that nearly half of Gen Z and millennial consumers have used BNPL in the past year, highlighting the growing demand for flexible spending options that match their lifestyles.
By offering a range of payment methods, you not only meet shoppers where they are but also remove friction at a critical moment in the customer journey. This makes it easier, and more likely, for your customers to complete their purchases. And in a busy parapharmacy setting, where convenience is everything, that can make the difference between a one-time shopper and a loyal customer.
6. Manage everything in one system
Running a parapharmacy means staying on top of countless moving parts, like managing expiry dates, tracking high-demand seasonal items, planning promotions, adjusting pricing, scheduling staff, and delivering consistent service across all channels. When these systems don’t talk to each other, things slip through the cracks: stockouts go unnoticed, slow sellers pile up, and your team wastes time chasing information instead of helping customers.
That’s where a centralized solution like LS Central makes all the difference. It brings your sales, inventory, loyalty programs, reporting, and more into one platform, giving you a real-time overview of everything happening across your business. You’ll know exactly what’s selling (and where), which
With this visibility, you can quickly shift popular stock between stores, adjust pricing based on performance, or launch targeted promotions to clear out soon-to-expire items. And when it’s time to grow — whether that’s opening a new location or expanding your online presence — LS Central gives you the confidence and tools to scale without losing control.
Grow your parapharmacy with advanced retail software
To stay competitive and grow your parapharmacy, it’s no longer enough to simply react to customer needs; you need a clear strategy for boosting sales, supported by the right technology. That means understanding your customers, anticipating demand, and making every part of the shopping experience work harder for your business.
With LS Central, you gain the tools to put that strategy into action. From real-time stock visibility to data-driven promotions and centralized operations, it gives you the foundation to run smarter, serve better, and sell more, whether in-store, online, or both.
Want to learn more about how our software solutions can help you optimize operations, impress customers, and grow your parapharmacy business? Contact us.
