Uber Eats has joined forces with LUDA Partners to offer community pharmacies an “on-demand delivery” service for over-the-counter medicines in the UK and retail health products in Ireland. 

Announced on September 8, the collaboration sees LUDA connect pharmacies to Uber’s delivery platform and manage “catalogue set-up, updates, optimisation and integration”. 

Read more: Eli Lilly’s dispensing and delivery service LillyDirect comes to UK 

The more than 500 pharmacies working with LUDA across the UK and Ireland have access to multiple delivery platforms and pay a 10% commission to LUDA for every sale. 

Pharmacy providers already using the service include the UK’s Pearl Chemist Group and Ireland’s Meaghers Pharmacy Group. 

According to LUDA, the recent collaboration with Uber Eats brings pharmacies a “scalable and dependable route into on-demand delivery”. 

Community pharmacy at the centre 

LUDA Partners co-founder Luis Martín called the partnership “another step” in LUDA’s mission “to keep community pharmacies at the centre of the digital ecosystem”. 

“Our role is to make digital sales simple, compliant and accessible for pharmacies of all sizes, without disrupting their day-to-day operations,” he added. 

Read more: Boots trials seven-day late-night medicine deliveries 

LUDA general manager for UK grocery retail Katie Hunter said that as customers increasingly use Uber Eats for everyday necessities, it is “an important next step to welcome more local pharmacies to the platform”. 

“This partnership will support local businesses to grow their sales while bringing customers high-quality health products, delivered in minutes,” she added. 

Read more: Hundreds of pharmacies consider closure over business rates 

It comes after Eli Lilly launched its dispensing and delivery service LillyDirect in the UK in June. 

And it follows Boots Online Doctor being forced to temporarily pause its home deliveries of weight loss jabs last month amid heatwave concerns.