Dis-Chem
Pharmacy chain in South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Limited, commonly known as Dis-Chem, is the second-largest retail pharmacy chain in South Africa, operating over 300 stores across Southern Africa. The company offers a wide range of products, including third-party and private label items, both in-store and online, and operates a wholesale division. The company's head office is based in Midrand, Gauteng and is listen on the JSE under the ticker symbol as DCP.[2][5][6]
| |
| Dis-Chem Pharmacies | |
| Company type | Public |
| JSE: DCP | |
| ISIN | ZAE000227831 |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1978[1] |
| Founder | |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 300+ (2025[2]) |
Area served | |
| Revenue | R 39.17 billion (2025[3]) |
| R 2.1 billion (2025[3]) | |
| R 1.22 billion (2025[3]) | |
| Total assets | R 19.26 million (2025[3]) |
| Total equity | R 5.23 million (2025[3]) |
Number of employees | 18,500 (2025[4]) |
| Website | www |
History
Dis-Chem was founded in 1978 by pharmacists Ivan and Lynette Saltzman.[1][7] The pharmacy opened its first retail pharmacy in Mondeor, a southern suburb of Johannesburg.[8] The couple introduced the concept of a discount pharmacy, offering product categories that were previously unavailable in South African pharmacies due to restrictive legislation.
In 2014, Dis-Chem expanded internationally by opening its first store outside South Africa, in Windhoek, Namibia.[9] In November 2016, the company listed 27.5% of its share capital on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, raising approximately R 4.4 billion in what was then the second-largest initial public offering in the exchange's history.[10][11] Following the IPO, Dis-Chem announced plans to double its number of outlets by 2021, with one-third of its stores being less than three years old at the time.[12]
Criticism
In July 2020, the Competition Commission of South Africa found Dis-Chem guilty of inflating prices of certain hygiene products, such as disposable face masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tribunal imposed an administrative penalty of R 1.2 million,[13] significantly lower than the R 2 billion fine the Commission had initially sought. Dis-Chem chose not to appeal the decision, citing concerns over reputational harm.[14][15][16][17][18][19]