Redcare Pharmacy
A European online pharmacy retailer offering medicines, health products, beauty products and digital medication services. Shop Apotheke is an online pharmacy serving Germany, operated by Shop-Apotheke B.V.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Redcare Pharmacy N.V., formerly known as Shop Apotheke Europe, is a European mail-order pharmacy and health-commerce company headquartered in Sevenum, Netherlands. It operates online pharmacies and related digital health services in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Its assortment combines over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicines where legally permitted, nutritional supplements, beauty products, personal-care goods and other health-related products. The business originated in 2001 as an online shop connected with a bricks-and-mortar pharmacy in Cologne, Germany. A major early turning point came in 2004, when German law permitted mail-order sales of non-prescription medicines. Shop-apotheke.com was among the early German online retailers to sell over-the-counter medicines and provide pharmaceutical advice through an online channel. This regulatory change helped establish the commercial model on which the company later built its wider European operations. In 2010, the company moved its logistics and sales activities to Venlo in the Netherlands, close to the German border. From 2012 onward it expanded outside Germany, first launching an Austrian web shop and subsequently entering Belgium and France. The company used both organic market launches and acquisitions to broaden its country coverage and product capabilities. In 2016, it acquired Belgian online pharmacy group Farmaline, a transaction associated with further expansion into Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. That year it also became a publicly traded company under the name Shop Apotheke Europe and joined the SDAX of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company continued to add specialist capabilities. In 2017 it acquired Europa Apotheek, which focused on supplying prescription medicines to customers in Germany. In 2018 it bought Berlin-based nu3, a business specializing in functional nutrition products, strengthening its position beyond traditional pharmacy categories. Its infrastructure also expanded: it moved into a new headquarters in Sevenum in 2020 and transferred all logistics operations to an adjacent logistics centre in 2021. The facility was reported to have an area of approximately 40,000 square metres. Digital health became another area of development in 2021. Shop Apotheke Europe acquired Munich-based Smartpatient and Dutch provider MedApp. These transactions extended the business into electronic prescription processing and digital medication-management tools, complementing its online pharmacy operations with software and patient-support services. In Switzerland, the company pursued a partnership with Galenica involving the combination of shop-apotheke.ch with Galenica's Mediservice AG. The planned joint venture received regulatory approval in May 2023, with Shop Apotheke Europe holding 51 percent and Galenica 49 percent; the arrangement also included Galenica receiving an 8 percent interest in Shop Apotheke Europe. On 13 June 2023, Shop Apotheke Europe changed its name to Redcare Pharmacy. The rebranding reflected an effort to present a broader European health-commerce identity rather than being centred only on the German Shop Apotheke name. The German-facing Shop Apotheke brand continues to operate as an online pharmacy for Germany, operated by Shop-Apotheke B.V. Its site presents services and benefits, medication reminders via app, expert knowledge on conditions, and online magazines covering topics such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, rheumatism, MS, haemophilia, CED, HIV, obesity, cardiovascular conditions and psoriasis. The brand describes a new logo and design world, with a compass logo intended to give orientation, and a benefits programme called RedPoints. It states a vision of 'Until every human has their health' and describes pharmaceutical expertise, a broad product range and innovative services available 365 days a year. The site lists Shop-Apotheke B.V., Erik de Rodeweg 11-13, 5975 WD Sevenum, Netherlands as its address.
History
Redcare Pharmacy began in 2001 as the online shop of a physical pharmacy in Cologne, Germany. Its early development was closely connected with the liberalisation of German mail-order pharmacy retail. After non-prescription medicines could legally be sold by mail in 2004, shop-apotheke.com became one of the early German online retailers to offer over-the-counter medicines and online pharmaceutical advice. The company moved its logistics and sales activities to Venlo, Netherlands, in 2010. The location, close to the German border, became an important base for serving the German market while supporting later European expansion. International growth started in 2012 with the launch of an Austrian web shop. Belgium and France followed three years later. In 2016, the company acquired Farmaline, a Belgian online pharmacy group. The transaction supported its broader international development and was linked to expansion into Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. In the same year, the company went public as Shop Apotheke Europe and entered the SDAX of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The next year it acquired Europa Apotheek, which specialized in supplying prescription medicines to German customers. This strengthened the company's position in prescription-pharmacy services alongside its established over-the-counter business. Shop Apotheke Europe broadened its assortment and capabilities again in 2018 by acquiring nu3, a Berlin-based seller of functional nutrition products. The company subsequently invested in its physical infrastructure. It moved to new headquarters in Sevenum in 2020, followed by the transfer of all logistics operations to a neighbouring logistics centre in 2021. The new facility was reported to have an area of 40,000 square metres. The 2021 acquisitions of Smartpatient and MedApp represented a further strategic development. Smartpatient, based in Munich, and MedApp, based in the Netherlands, brought electronic prescription processing and digital medication-management capabilities into the group. These services complemented the company's role as an online retailer by connecting medicine ordering with digital tools for patients and medication use. The company also developed its Swiss activities through a proposed combination of shop-apotheke.ch and Galenica's Mediservice AG. The transaction was structured as a joint venture, with Shop Apotheke Europe holding 51 percent and Galenica 49 percent. Regulatory permission was granted in May 2023, and the arrangement also provided for Galenica to receive an 8 percent interest in Shop Apotheke Europe. On 13 June 2023, Shop Apotheke Europe changed its name to Redcare Pharmacy. The new identity positioned the business as a broader European health-commerce platform while retaining its online-pharmacy heritage. The German-facing Shop Apotheke brand continues to operate as an online pharmacy for Germany, operated by Shop-Apotheke B.V. Its about page describes a new logo and design world, with a compass logo intended to provide orientation, and a benefits programme called RedPoints. The brand states the vision 'Until every human has their health' and says it is available 365 days a year with pharmaceutical expertise, a broad product range and innovative services. The page lists the address Shop-Apotheke B.V., Erik de Rodeweg 11-13, 5975 WD Sevenum, Netherlands.
- 2023
Swiss joint venture approved
[1]Approval was granted for the proposed combination of shop-apotheke.ch and Galenica's Mediservice AG.
- 2023
Corporate rebranding to Redcare Pharmacy
[1]Shop Apotheke Europe adopted the Redcare Pharmacy name on 13 June 2023.
- 2021
Logistics centre and digital-health expansion
[1]Logistics operations moved to an adjacent 40,000-square-metre facility, while Smartpatient and MedApp were acquired for digital prescription and medication-management capabilities.
- 2020
New Sevenum headquarters
[1]The company moved into new headquarters in Sevenum, Netherlands.
- 2018
nu3 acquired
[1]The company acquired nu3 to expand into functional nutrition products.
- 2017
Europa Apotheek acquired
[1]The acquisition added prescription-medicine expertise focused on German customers.
- 2016
Listing and Farmaline acquisition
[1]Shop Apotheke Europe became publicly listed, joined the SDAX, and acquired Belgian online pharmacy group Farmaline.
- 2015
Expansion into Belgium and France
[1]The company launched operations in Belgium and France, extending its online pharmacy model beyond Germany and Austria.
- 2012
Austrian market launch
[1]The company began international expansion with the launch of shop-apotheke.at in Austria.
- 2010
Operations move to the Netherlands
[1]Logistics and sales activities were relocated to Venlo, near the German-Dutch border.
Products and positioning
A large European online pharmacy and health-commerce platform focused on convenient access to medicines, pharmacy advice and wellness products across multiple national markets. Online pharmacy for Germany offering pharmaceutical expertise, a broad product range and innovative services.
Pharmacy products · 2004
Over-the-counter medicines
Non-prescription medicines are a foundational part of the company’s online pharmacy assortment. Redcare Pharmacy sells these products through country-specific online channels, alongside product information and access to pharmaceutical advice. The category reflects the company’s origins in German mail-order pharmacy retail after OTC medicines became available for mail-order sale. Redcare Pharmacy provides prescription-medicine services in markets and circumstances where national rules permit online or mail-order fulfilment. The acquisition of Europa Apotheek in 2017 strengthened the company’s German prescription-medicine capabilities, while later digital-health investments supported electronic prescription processing.
Nutrition and wellness · 2018
Nutritional supplements and functional nutrition
The company offers nutritional supplements and functional nutrition products as part of its broader health and wellness assortment. Its position in this category was expanded through the 2018 acquisition of nu3, a Berlin-based specialist in functional nutrition.
Beauty and personal care
Beauty and personal-care products
Beauty, personal-care and related health products extend the assortment beyond medicines. These categories allow the online pharmacy format to serve routine health, hygiene and self-care purchases in addition to prescription and OTC needs.
Digital health · 2021
Digital medication-management services
Digital medication-management and electronic prescription capabilities became part of the company's offering through the acquisitions of Smartpatient and MedApp in 2021. These services connect online pharmacy activity with digital tools intended to support prescription processing and patients' medication routines.
Brand decisions
2023
Swiss joint venture with GalenicaM&ABackground
The company sought to combine its Swiss online pharmacy business with Galenica's Mediservice AG.
Action taken
A joint venture was approved in May 2023, with Shop Apotheke Europe holding 51 percent and Galenica holding 49 percent. The arrangement also included Galenica receiving an 8 percent interest in Shop Apotheke Europe.
Aftermath
The approved transaction created a partnership structure for the Swiss pharmacy business.
2023
Rebranding from Shop Apotheke Europe to Redcare PharmacyStrategyBackground
The company adopted a broader corporate identity as its operations extended across multiple European markets and into digital health.
Action taken
Shop Apotheke Europe changed its name to Redcare Pharmacy on 13 June 2023.
Aftermath
The new name became the corporate brand for the group's European online pharmacy and health-commerce activities.
2021
Expansion into digital prescriptions and medication managementStrategyBackground
The company pursued a more integrated digital-health model connecting medicine ordering with prescription and medication-management tools.
Action taken
It acquired Smartpatient in Munich and Dutch provider MedApp.
Aftermath
Redcare's predecessor added electronic prescription processing and digital medication-management capabilities to its online pharmacy business.
2018
Acquisition of nu3M&ABackground
The company aimed to expand from pharmacy retail into adjacent nutrition and wellness categories.
Action taken
Shop Apotheke Europe acquired Berlin-based functional-nutrition company nu3.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened the group's nutritional-supplement and functional-food assortment.
2017
Acquisition of Europa ApotheekM&ABackground
Redcare's predecessor sought to build prescription-medicine capabilities in Germany alongside its established OTC business.
Action taken
Shop Apotheke Europe acquired Europa Apotheek, a business focused on selling prescription medicines to German customers.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened the group's German pharmacy offering.
2016
Acquisition of FarmalineM&ABackground
The company sought to accelerate international expansion and strengthen its position in European online pharmacy markets.
Action taken
Shop Apotheke Europe acquired the Belgian online pharmacy group Farmaline.
Aftermath
The transaction supported the company's expansion into Belgium and was associated with its development in Italy and the Netherlands.
Recent events
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