As pharmacies face increasing margin pressure, rising operating costs and changing consumer expectations, retail performance is becoming a critical lever for long-term sustainability.
Ahead of the 2026 Australasian Pharmacy Professional Conference (APP), Canary IT is calling on pharmacy operators to take a closer look at retail system integration, loyalty maturity and real-time margin visibility.
James Ormesher, CEO of Canary IT, said many pharmacies are still operating with fragmented retail technology that limits visibility and performance optimisation. “Dispensing remains central to pharmacy operations, but retail is increasingly where profitability is won or lost,” Mr Ormesher said.
“We’re seeing strong operators move toward fully integrated retail management systems that provide real-time margin insight, centralised stock visibility and loyalty integration. Others are still relying on manual processes or disconnected systems, which makes it difficult to respond quickly in a competitive market.”
Mr Ormesher said the growing complexity of pharmacy retail, particularly across banner groups and multi-store operators, means technology decisions are becoming more strategic.
“Retail, cloud infrastructure and cyber security are no longer separate conversations. Pharmacy businesses are recognising that operational resilience and retail performance go hand in hand.”
At APP 2026, Canary IT will be engaging directly with pharmacy teams to better understand how the industry is approaching retail system maturity. Insights gathered during the conference will inform a post-event Retail Benchmark report, providing an aggregated snapshot of current retail capability across attendees.
“APP brings together a diverse cross-section of pharmacy operators,” Mr Ormesher said.
“It’s an ideal opportunity to listen, learn and contribute to the broader conversation about what sustainable pharmacy retail looks like in 2026 and beyond.”
Pharmacy operators attending APP are invited to connect with the Canary IT team to discuss retail systems, LS Central for Pharmacies, cloud infrastructure, cyber security and managed IT services.
