When your local pharmacy can't get your medicine, online pharmacies offer an alternative route. But are they actually better during shortages? Here's an honest comparison.
How Online Pharmacies Differ
Online pharmacies differ from high street pharmacies in several ways that affect stock availability:
- Different wholesalers: Some online pharmacies source from different wholesalers, meaning they may have stock when local pharmacies don't
- Larger distribution centres: Online pharmacies often operate from central warehouses with larger inventories
- National rather than local: They serve the whole UK, so local demand spikes don't affect them as much
- Some source internationally: A few licensed online pharmacies can import medicines from approved overseas sources
Advantages of Online Pharmacies
- May have stock when local pharmacies don't
- Convenient home delivery
- Can check stock before ordering
- Often good for repeat prescriptions with automatic ordering
Disadvantages
- Delivery time: You need to wait for delivery — not suitable for urgent needs
- No face-to-face advice: You lose the personal relationship with a pharmacist who knows you
- Verification needed: You must ensure the pharmacy is legitimate (GPhC registered)
- Same shortages apply: During nationwide shortages, online pharmacies are affected too
How to Verify an Online Pharmacy
- Check the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org
- Look for the green cross logo (the EU common logo for registered online pharmacies)
- Verify the registered pharmacy address is real
- Be wary of pharmacies based outside the UK
- Never buy prescription medicines from sites that don't require a prescription
⚠️ Warning: Counterfeit medicines are a real danger. Unregulated online pharmacies may sell fake, contaminated, or incorrectly dosed products. Always verify the pharmacy is GPhC-registered before ordering.
Our Recommendation
Use both. Maintain a relationship with a high street pharmacist who knows you and your needs, but keep an online pharmacy account as a backup for when local supply fails. This dual approach gives you the best chance of maintaining medicine access during shortages.
Related
How to Switch Pharmacies
Easy switching guide
How Pharmacies Handle Shortages
Behind the counter
Find Local Pharmacies
Pharmacy finder by location
See also
Prescription out of stock: what to do
How to compare options when stock is low
How COVID changed UK medicine supply
Why distribution routes still vary by provider
A-Z medicine shortage pages
Check medicine-specific pressure before choosing provider
Data sources: DHSC Medicine Supply Notifications · NHSBSA Serious Shortage Protocols · NHS England
Page last updated: 7 March 2026. Data checked daily.
Page last updated: 7 March 2026. Data checked daily.