Help Net, one of the leading players in pharmaceutical retail, will launch 15 new units this year, both in shopping centres and independent stores, which will bring the overall network to 118 units.

By 2010, the company's target is to operate 200 drugstores. One of the biggest hurdles in the way of expansion is the shortage of pharmacists available on the market. As a result, the company increased the salaries of pharmacists by 40% last year.

"This year, just like 2007, will be a year of consolidation. We have relocated some of our stores and will continue to relocate others to ensure that our stores are placed in the best possible locations," explained Isabelle Iacob, general manager of Help Net Farma.

Help Net ended 2007 with a turnover worth 53 million euros, up 38% against 2006, an over 3% profit rate. The company has budgeted turnover worth 68 million euros for 2008.

Last year's results placed Help Net second among players in the field in terms of turnover, according to company data. In addition, pharmaceuticals sales through private drugstores went up 19.2% last year.

"The opening of new units entails the recruitment of new staff, and, given the shortage of available pharmacists, recruitment is a genuine challenge," said Iacob, who added that pharmacists' salaries went up 40% last year against 2006.

For the overall pharmaceutical industry, the average gross income of a pharmacist amounted to over 820 euros in 2006, according to the PayWell 2006 study, conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Currently, Help Net has almost 900 employees.

Around 20% of the company's sales are derived from the cosmetics and dermocosmetics segments, for which there is no maximum selling price imposed. According to estimates given by company representatives, Help Net holds a 3.6% share on the pharmaceutical retail market. Last year, Help Net