As part of the efforts to continue supporting the consolidation of economic recovery in companies, the Bogota Chamber of Commerce (CCB) launches the Economic Recovery Program for the drugstore and health food stores sector, a strategy that seeks to increase sales and customers in this important segment through digital transformation.

Through the program, entrepreneurs and businesswomen will innovate in the traditional sales process through actions aimed at omni-channeling, digital transformation and specialized accompaniment to increase their sales and customers. In the program aimed at drugstores and health food stores, the CCB will provide specialized support in strengthening digital and commercial capabilities for businesses to grow through training and free advice.

The requirements to be part of this program are:

• To be a drugstore and/or health food store (retail / wholesale of pharmaceutical products, medicinal chemicals and/or botanical products for pharmaceutical use.

• To have an updated Commercial Register in the Chamber of Commerce of Bogota.

Juan Carlos González, vice-president of competitiveness of the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, stated that "At the CCB we are committed to developing actions that allow us to promote the reactivation of the different sectors. In the case of this segment, 31% of entrepreneurs reported a decrease in sales between 2020 and 2021, and 19% reported problems related to the affluence, attainment and loyalty of customers.

In this type of establishments, traditional sales represent 85% of commercialization; other channels represent 10%, and e-commerce sales represent only 5%. That is why we are supporting this sector, and all economic sectors, to strengthen their online sales.

The dynamics of the sector

The pharmaceutical sector and its productive chain has played a fundamental role in the current situation, demonstrating the importance it has had for the timely dispensing of medicines and avoiding drug shortages.

In the case of Bogota and the Region, the retail marketing segment of medicines and natural products is made up of 9,126 companies (95% are micro-enterprises and 87% are independent, i.e., they do not belong to chain drugstores). The sector generates a total of 45,700 jobs.

The Bogota Chamber of Commerce's flagship programs

The CCB's commitment for 2022 is to continue implementing programs to contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of the reactivation of several of the sectors that were strongly affected by the pandemic. Thus, in addition to the Economic Reactivation Program for drugstores and health food stores, this year programs will be launched that will benefit companies in the real estate, energy efficiency, beauty and wellness, fashion, gastronomy, creative industries, health, tourism, digital, financial and logistics solutions segments.