There is a huge shortage of Antigen tests in the various Pharma chains all over Israel

"You should buy fast, even if it's a package of 20 antigen tests, because if you come in another hour there will be no more," the saleswoman at the Good Pharm branch on Florentine Street explained to one of the customers today (Sunday). The Super-Pharm branch, which is 200 meters away, has not been inspected since Thursday. The cashier says they were assured that the inventory would be replenished later in the day, but she does not know exactly when.
Since the Ministry of Health announced last week that vaccines exposed to a verified patient will be able to settle for a home corona test to make sure they have not been infected - an onslaught of customers seeking to purchase them has begun. At this stage, there is a shortage of antigen tests in the various pharma chains - when according to their reports, tens to hundreds of thousands of tests are sold daily in each chain.

In light of the huge demand for home corona tests, the government has approved that home tests can also be sold in retail chains. The Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, and the Minister of Health, Nitzan Horowitz, announced that after consulting with professionals in the Ministry of Health, the director general of the ministry, Prof. Nachman Ash, will approve temporary marketing of antigen tests in retail chains that have a valid business license for food and beverages. The directive will be implemented in the coming days and will be valid until April 15.
According to the guidelines, the chains will sell antigen tests only in their original packaging, and they will be stored in proper storage conditions, separately from any other goods that can adversely affect their quality, such as unpackaged food, vegetables, fruits or cleaning products. According to Horowitz, "We are opening the market, and we will allow the sale of home antigen tests in the retail chains as well, in addition to pharmacies and pharmacies. This will make the tests accessible and significantly reduce the price to the public. We will do everything necessary to The public. "
One of the big retail chains says that they are still trying to understand the meaning, as this directive will force them to order tests that are currently in short supply, so it is not clear when they will be able to fill the shelves, but once they succeed - the spot shortage will be removed.
Rami Levy, owner of the Rami Levy Sycamore Marketing chain, has been pre-arranged for the possibility of being able to sell the tests in his branches, saying that "there is currently commercialization in the entire market of tests, but on Tuesday we are expected to receive a whole test plane from China. "Some on the shelves, but after Tuesday the quantity will increase - and the price will go down."
The various pharma chains report a huge demand and sales of hundreds of thousands of home tests a day, which has also led to shortages in some of the chains that are difficult to fill. In addition, the chains report exploitation on the part of the suppliers, who have started raising prices by tens of percent. Today there are large gaps in test prices between the chains, companies, and various packages sold. The cheapest package we found is 20 antigen tests in the Good Pharm chain, which costs NIS 189 (NIS 9.45 per test). There are currently no individual inspections at the chain's branches.
At Super-Pharm, a single test costs NIS 34.9, but you can buy two tests and get the other one at a 50% discount, which means that each test will cost NIS 26. A package of quartets is offered online for NIS 79.9 (NIS 19.9 per test) and a family package of 20 tests reduces the cost per test, but according to the website is currently in short supply online.
In the Be network, a single test costs NIS 22.9, a package of five tests costs NIS 79.9 (NIS 15.9 per unit), while a package of 25 tests costs NIS 480 (NIS 19.2 per unit).
According to Ohad Sandler, one of the owners of Good Pharm, "there is complete madness. Any amount we bring - customers buy. Suppliers take advantage of this, and just raise prices. We fight tooth and nail to maintain a good price level of less than NIS 10 for a test in a package of 20 tests. "It's getting harder day by day."
He said, "A few months ago suppliers brought stock of antigen tests and then found out that the state offers the tests for free, and they had surpluses. Now the guidelines have changed, a valid antigen test for release from isolation, and everyone wants tests, not just one. Importers have gold in hand - and raise Prices".
Another senior manager from a large Pharm chain says that "there is record demand. We flow goods to the branches every day and in the meantime we manage to keep up with it. But the suppliers are raising our prices. They have already raised them by 40%."
Another network explained: "The country has shifted the weight from PCR tests to antigen tests, and because it happened immediately it created high demand, and importers ask us for very high prices. It makes it difficult for us to sell at reasonable prices. We can not buy from them at such prices because the public will not buy - "Therefore, there is a shortage. This is similar to what happened at the beginning of the corona epidemic with the toilet paper. The shortage is spotty, and because of the pressure, customers are currently equipped with more tests than they need and create another shortage."
"There is no doubt that the demand for tests has risen significantly in light of the rise in morbidity," says Imad Sadr, director of pharmacy marketing and trade at Super-Pharm. "Currently, there are spot shortages that are expected to be renewed towards noon and evening. We are working to renew the goods frequently to continue to give our customers a quick and quality response."
Be reports that they are experiencing huge demand in branches, even through the Volt app. The chain's CEO, Uri Waterman, anticipated the shortage last week and said: "If there is a global shortage - and I understood that it has already started - then there will be a shortage here as well."
"Four trucks that move between our 41 branches, filling the shelves," says Sandler. "Customers stand and wait and as soon as there is - they pounce." In our estimation, the pressure will be released as soon as the stock in the market fills up: "We managed to place a large order and we are expected to receive 3 million tests this week. Already today there are ten companies that have permits to sell tests, They will fall down. "