SEVENUM (dpa-AFX) - The online pharmacy Redcare Pharmacy remained on a clear growth course in the second quarter, also thanks to the introduction of electronic prescriptions in Germany. Group sales increased by a third to 560 million euros compared to the same period last year, as the company announced on Thursday in Sevenum, the Netherlands, on the basis of preliminary figures. This was roughly as much as analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had expected. The increase in sales of electronically ordered prescription drugs in Germany (E-Rx) accelerated to 37 percent. In the first quarter, growth here was only 7 percent. In May, Redcare introduced the option of ordering electronic prescriptions digitally via the corresponding mobile app for its best-known online portal Shop Apotheke.

However, non-prescription products still account for the lowest proportion of Redcare's business: Revenues here climbed by a good fifth to 390 million euros. The acquisition of Mediservice in the middle of last year also contributed to the increase in total sales. The active customer base grew by 0.4 million to 11.6 million compared to the previous quarter. Redcare will present its detailed financial report for the three-month period to the end of June on July 30./men/mis