Ladies and gentlemen, dear guests, also guests on the webcast, a very warm welcome to today's Media and Analyst Conference. It's the seventh of its kind since Galenica took to the stock market in the context of an IPO at the time, in 2017. So it's my fourth as the CEO, so time flies. Now we have this increase of 4.4%, EBIT development of 0.4%, or 5.5%, if we leave special factors, one-off factors aside, and a still dividend, dividend. More look back to an excellent business year, 2023. Of course, we would have liked to present you with better result. But it's life.
Life happens, and there are events that can impact targets in the short term, so we have to deal. Our CFO, Felix, is going to talk about the financial aspects of challenges later on. In the operative activities, last year also, we reached milestones that have to deal with our implementation of our strategy, and they have the target to continuously increase the promise we give to our customers. In 2020, our IPO and within a phase of consolidation, we continued to develop the strategy of the group, and consequently launched a new organizational structure.
Target being to use the existing sources and means to the best of our abilities to create new synergies and use the existing ones even better, to really get the entire group to the future. Pooling our know-how, pooling our strengths for our strategic programs, and strengthening Galenica transformation, and make it even more fit for the future. And today, today, Galenica stands for the strongest network in the health market in Switzerland, and that is a network that we continue to expand on, and we're strengthening it both for the sake of customers, patients, and for the sake of our professional partners, of course.
In our strategic program, Omnichannel, what we intend to do with that, is, to continuously improve on the customer experience, to continuously further develop and network our online and offline channels, and, to meet the expectations of our customers with our product and service portfolios, and even exceed their expectations. In the sense of the strategic focusing, we founded the joint venture with Redcare Pharmacy in 2023, and to have an interesting attractive platform with a great portfolio, especially for our price-sensitive customers who order online mainly. We keep on getting our brick-and-mortar pharmacies at the latest. So, we have boosted the user friendliness and the portfolio. We invest in SEO so that the customers may find us online.
And in 2023, we have a new technology for our webshop of Amavita, Sun Store, and Coop Vitality will follow suit this year. It is our goal to boost these platform to become information centers. So they are supposed to be there, the digital port of call to our Galenica network for the customers. So it's a network of online and brick-and-mortar pharmacies. So the customer will choose according to their what they need, for instance, if they want to book an easy appointment to get vaccinated. And that's why we continue to also invest in our brick-and-mortar pharmacies, in locations, in our staff, because it's their skills and consultations that count when people turn to a pharmacy.
The pharmacy is the first port of call for health questions, and it is the first port of call if it offers more than just dispensing medicine. If they consult, analyze, test, if they can also talk to other professionals, if need be. So if they offer added value to our customers. Now, pharmacy as the first port of call, that is what we're continuously working on. And there's quite some potential that we're seeing. So customers, for instance, do not all know what the pharmacy has on offer for them. And we are also aware of the fact, if you have a cough or a sore throat, most patients would have a problem to tell the pharmacists what, what's wrong with them.
But if you have a rash in a certain part of your body, you do not want to show that to other people or to explain it, even. So if we intend to position pharmacies as the first port of call, then we need more than pharmacy in a pharmacy. In 2022, we carried out a pilot for some store in Villars-sur-Glâne, and we called that project Medi Corner at the time, because we were trying to test whether our customers would be interested in a fee-based health consultation in a specific room set aside the Medi Corner. So it was a simple test just with a bit of wallpaper on the walls and a bit secluded, so a minimal viable product, an MVP.
That shows how our strategic program transformation, Galenica, has been informed, and also the way how we deal with new ideas and innovation. Now, that MediCorner idea was put into practice in a very agile way, so we talked to customers about the topic, and we listened. So, in order to come up with a service that creates good added value to the customers. So test the service, get the feedback, learn from that, adjust, adapt, improve. And what was great, that the customers never complained about that ad libbed idea, but they felt honored that they were asked for their personal opinions. Now, one and a half years later, last fall, we offered that first official consultation room in Amavita Zollikofen, with fixed quality materials, and we call that Consultation Plus.
So that change of name is a learning that we really got from the customers' feedback. In order to get even better in consultation, we work with partners, like Book a Doc of Medgate, springs to mind. The pharmacist, if need be, could get a medical doctor in for a consultation on video within 15 minutes. In 2023, we tested that in a pilot program, and it was an overwhelming response, which is why about 200 pharmacies this year offer Book a Doc. Last but not least, on our portfolio. What we have on offer is just as important as the sales channel per se. VERFORA has continued to improve their position as leaders in consumer care markets.
Last year, we boosted our own portfolio, brought novelties to the market, and at the same time, we took on trends via acquisitions to our assortment. That includes Hedoga, Doctutus, Spagyros, the Boiron product sales, or take our partner at the beginning of 2023. Of course, we do not only serve patients and customers just in a pharmacy, we also continue to boost our home care portfolio. Consistently so, because these services are becoming ever more important in our society, whether that's at home care with skilled personnel, or in a care home or an old age home. So that's informed by the ever-increasing number of older people and who want to live at home for as long as they can, independently so.
At the same time, the enormous cost pressure in our healthcare system forces both outpatient and inpatient care to have to put into practice their portfolio in a more cost-efficient way. Now, we can see how that develops, because Bichsel has grown markedly. Of Bichsel, of course, artificial nutrition and IV therapies, and Medifilm added more than 70 new customers in blistering of medication. So the customers, of course, are old age and care homes. So that's serving, catering to 14,000 patients, at 10%+ on the previous year. And then we have MediService, that before the joint venture with Redcare Pharmacy, it was already the number one mail-order pharmacy in Switzerland.
Now, it's flanked by a team of nurses that really supports our patients at home across Switzerland. On top of the online pharmacy, we'll continue together with Redcare Pharmacy to boost that segment in 2023. For instance, with a home care coordination station that supports patients and their families to organize a treatment and to get what they need. Towards the end 2023, we boosted our network by getting a stake in the healthcare home care provider, Pharmadoma. Pharmadoma is situated in Ticino and is number one there when it comes to clinical nutrition and blistering of medication. It's an outstanding complement to Bichsel and Medifilm in the south of Switzerland.
Now, for professional care workers in home care, like assistance in care at home, old age homes, care homes, we have a unique catering tool for all of Switzerland. From drugs to brick, mortar, and online pharmacies, to blistering of medication through Medifilm and the clinical nutrition of Bichsel, and the mobile medical home doctors of Amida. And let's not forget Lifestage Solutions with a digital order platform, which we are boosting to become the digital portal for home care organizations and homes. So, just like that digital portal for pharmacy customers that I mentioned, we also want to have an easy digital access for healthcare experts to access our entire network.
So our customers can already order medication in a pharmacy through our platform of Lifestage Solution. In the course of 2024, Bichsel for clinical nutrition will be added.
Now, a word around logistics. This is the major part of our services. We have a lot of cost pressure in the health sector and participate and stakeholders are obliged to come up with efficient and cost-sufficient solutions. With JV, with Planzer, with Health Supply AG, we made another step towards more efficient and more sustainable logistics. In JV, we talk about transport supplies services that used to be done by other partners, by different partners, and they are channeled together. That is to say, the coordination expenses have been massively reduced, in particular in urban regions.
The Health Supply AG also has the remit in both with both partners, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing transport solutions that are sustainable, and not only develop them, but also implementing them. That is the Galenica network that we developed in the past few years. In the hub of it all, we have the customer. We are customer centered, and this customer focus really makes for our expanded offer.
Recently, I was asked: "What about the average age of the retail business customer in online pharmacies and in brick-and-mortar pharmacies? The one who asked the question estimated 67 years of age, because, you know, medications often given out to older patients. But what about you? Do you think it's 67, or is the average higher or even lower? The estimate was 20 years apart. The average age of our customer is 45. We know from the data that the customers gave us by the loyalty program of our pharmacies, really. The example comes to show how far away there's the or how big is the gap between the estimate and the reality. And what is really important is to know your customer, to have the right information, the right data, and to assess them.
It's not only about today's customer, but also about all those who can be potential customers of our very young people, the Generation Z, for instance. They also deal with questions of health and prevention. That's what is urgent to them. They have questions, they have interests that they do not really want to discuss in front of other people or foreigners in the pharmacies. But this is a case that we've seen a pilot in Zollikofen, and there were quite a number of young people who were aided by that. But not only young people are really focused on the physical world, they go to the digital world. That's where they are headed.
Amavita, for instance, set up a virtual consultation platform on Fortnite, and there's the Ama Island, where young people can talk about, anonymously, can talk about sensitive issues such as bodily hygiene, intimacy, sexuality. That interactive pharmacy visit on Fortnite helps young people to reduce that barrier to go physically into a real brick-and-mortar pharmacy. They have positive first contacts. They have positive offers via channels there, where we reach the target, and there are influencer participation campaigns with half a million of responses on Instagram, Twitch, TikTok, and more than 800,000 young people are attracted by that. As a marketing-driven organization, we want to deal even more intensively with the needs of our customers and develop new marketing channels.
In future, there will even be a greater focus on relevant content on the platforms where our customers are located, really, where they can be found. It's about content, and not necessarily only about health issues. In particular, when we're talking about young people who we want to really attract, we want to talk about prevention and well-being. That's the main focus. Young women, for instance, much more easily deal with the topic of the aging of the skin than 10 years ago. So they are much more critical or respective, more interested in the quality of a product and the corresponding categories, like skin care products and cosmetics, are more and more important, even considering the younger generation, you know, which is aging in the end. And when you have customers in the pharmacy, it's not sufficient to be friendly anymore.
The customers really expect from us a proactive consultation, uncomplicated, quickly, in the environment in the digital health sector. It's not that easy in Switzerland so far. That's why we invest in the digitization of processes with the e-prescription, Documedis, and clinical decision support, and the digital aids for the customer. This digital support not only makes for a better customer experience in the pharmacy, it also sees to patient security, which is why we have very clear ESG goals in this topic. And we also invest in our employees and the attractiveness of our job. We want to retain our employees there, because it's in the end, the customer experience and the personal contact with the employees, which make for the customer to really further recommend us.
The so-called NPS, the Net Promoter Score, is therefore also such an important key figure within Galenica, and the entire group is really focusing on that. Customer focus, marketing, data-driven organization, consultation, and customer competence in the brick-and-mortar pharmacy and in the online pharmacy, are topics which we will focus on very directly. This year and also in future, and again, always we are focused on the future to trends, innovation, developments in the health sector. Opportunities for Galenica will develop from them, and our network needs to be strengthened and developed accordingly. I would like now to pass the floor to Felix, our CFO.
Ladies and gentlemen, well, when it comes to wine, you would say, "Well, 2023 was a very difficult year." It was wet, there was not enough sun in the spring, and there were special factors which saw to a reduction of our results, unfortunately. Today, we are proud and grateful that as of the second semester, things went positively, and for the business year 2023, despite these special factors, we can present you with a positive development overall. Let's start with the sales and marketing development. We have seen some very good growth with 4.44%, adjusted for the extraordinary sales of COVID tests, self tests and vaccinations. Growth was high, with 5%.
As expected, the second half of the year, growth was a little lower than in the first half year, with 3.3%, due to the very strong comparative of the previous year. We also see that effect when it comes to market developments. The lower growth in the second half of this year was triggered by the month of December. Until the end of November, the pharmaceutical market performed better than in the previous year. However, December was significantly worse than the previous year, and we see two reasons for that. On the one hand, there was a flu epidemic at the end of 2023, but it was significantly weaker than at the end of 2022. On the other hand, December 2023 had fewer sales days, two fewer sales days than the previous year due to the public holidays.
Now, for the general year 2023 as a whole, we have a growth of the pharmaceutical market by 4.9%. The volume statistics, to say the number of packages sold, declined slightly by 0.2%. The pharmaceuticals market also continued to grow in 2023, in particular, due to the more expensive prescription drugs. The negative volume growth is mainly due to the declining volume of OTC medicines. The strongest growth, with 7.8%, was realized by the medical channel. Over-the-counter pharmacies grew by 4.54% with stable volumes. The growth of mail order pharmacies was at 1.7% and -6% of packs sold, and that was a rather modest development, really. When it comes to the consumer healthcare market, only the OTC medicines grew by 1.8%, thanks to price increases.
In terms of the number of packs sold, the OTC market declined by 1.7%, excuse me. When it comes to the other segments, personal care, patient care, nutrition, they all declined compared to the previous year. Overall, the non-medication product ranges in the pharmacy and drugstore market lost 1.3% compared with the previous year. Now, against the background of that market development, we are quite satisfied with the growth of our pharmacies. Adjusted for the extraordinary sales of COVID tests, self tests and vaccinations, the sales at our bricks-and-mortar pharmacies grew by 2.7%. So sales in our pharmacies are made up of around 70% of medications and around 30% of non-medications.
And if we weigh the growth of the pharmaceutical markets and the non-medication ranges in pharmacies and drugstores with the sales mix of our bricks-and-mortar pharmacies, our growth roughly corresponds to market growth. Now, in the area pharmacies at homes, that division grew by a very good 6.6%, despite the sales of a reducing effect of the sale of care product at the end of 2022. Growth was driven by Bichsel HomeCare with clinical nutrition at home and the acquisition of Cannaplant, the leading provider of medicinal cannabis preparations. When it comes to the area of products and brands, they recorded exceptionally strong growth at 33.6% in the export business.
On the one hand, demand for travel and cold products has recovered, and on the other hand, foreign distributors have built up their stocks in anticipation of a regulatory change. In the Swiss market, expansion contributed thanks to the acquisition of PADMA in January 2013, and the exclusive distribution of Boiron's homeopathic medicines at the end of 2013 contributed to 6.9% of growth or 8%, respectively. Organic growth totaled 1.1%. Sales of our products in pharmacies and drugstores in the market grew by 2.2%, slightly higher than the growth of the consumer healthcare market at +0.7%. So this meant that our market share grew to 10.3%.
We also gained some further market share in the wholesale division at 4.7%, and when it comes to the consideration of the adjustment of extraordinary sales of COVID sales, we had even 5.3%. The wholesale division grew faster than the overall pharmaceutical market at 4.9%. Additional market shares were gained with respect to the new customers in French-speaking Switzerland, adjusted for COVID test revenue growth, we had a growth totaling 6.3%. A 3.6% growth in doctor segment was pleasing, but below the high market growth of 7.8%. Let's now switch from sales to results. The partnership with Redcare Pharmacy is not only a strategically significant one, but in 2023, it was also a great financial success.
The extraordinary profit from the transaction to establish the joint venture totaled CHF 120 million. The increase of the Redcare Pharmacy share price led to an increase in the value of our 8% stake of CHF 83 million. Now, in 2023, we saw an adjustment at adjusted price tag of CHF 190, 9.8%. We had a negative impact. We talked about the special items totaling CHF 9.8 million in the first half of the year. Two further special factors were added in the second half of the year, but they offset each other financially speaking. To summarize, there are the following events that are worth mentioning.
First of all, the HCI Solutions was obliged by the Competition Commission to pay a provisional penalty of CHF 3.8 million for a known complaint that is still pending before the Federal Supreme Court. In the first half of 2023, there were some extraordinary value adjustments on customer receivables totaling CHF 6 million, primarily in the wholesale business with doctors. In the second half of the year, an additional provision of CHF 3 million was recognized for a possible sanction on the ongoing proceedings by the Competition Commission in the [ Zentralregulierung] case. However, that was an extraordinary cost, where that was offset by an extraordinary valuation adjustment on inventories in the same amount. Adjusted for these special amounts, totaling CHF 9.8 million, adjusted EBIT would have risen to CHF 201.1 million, so by 5.5%.
In the logistics and iSegment, the EBIT margin would have increased from 1.7% to 1.8%, and in the products and care from 9% to 9.1%. These EBIT margins for 2023, adjusted for special factors, form the basis of our updated medium-term guidance, which we presented at the Investor Day last October. Until 2025, we can count on stable EBIT margins.
Inflation, now continued, shortage of skilled labor and strategically important investments into, say, digital infrastructure, have created a situation where in 2023, both staff costs grew at +6%, and other costs grew at 5.4%, adjusted for one-off items. So it's stronger than our sales. In the first half year, 2023, and at the Investors Day, we already reported said cost pressure. In the first half 2023, however, the cost growth was markedly higher than the overall year for personnel costs at 8.2% and for the other costs at 5.9%. Now, the measures we took to slow cost increase have shown impact in the second half of 2023.
We managed to even stop personnel cost growth on the first half, but there is continued pressure on personnel costs. Now, the development in the second half year of 2023, however, makes it optimistic that with good management, we can maintain profitability and will reach our medium-term guidance. Now, investment in intangible assets increased due to several digitization initiatives by CHF 3 million to a total of CHF 32.7 million. For fixed assets, a net increase of CHF 46.1 million can be traced to a temporarily intensified expansion and revamping of pharmacies. The medium-term guidance expects stable development of investment over the coming years. Now, the foundation for that forecast is estimated to hover between the values of 2022 and 2023.
Although the adjusted EBITDA in 2023, despite the burdening one-off factors, was CHF 3 million higher than on the previous year, the cash flow before change in working capital was reduced from CHF 220.4 million to CHF 201.3 million. Now, main reason for that decrease is higher tax prepayments than on the previous year, which has led to a decrease in tax liabilities. The cash flow 2023 was impacted by the increase of inventories by CHF 53 million in the individual business units. And with that increase of inventories, we managed to boost the delivery capacity and the security of supply of medication in Switzerland.
On the other hand, we managed to markedly increase the accounts payable and, to limit, therefore, the cash outflow from change in net working capital to CHF 28.2 million. When founding the joint venture, Galenica received a stake of 6% in Redcare Pharmacy. And on top of that, we had, for CHF 28.5 million, we received further 2%, in the context of a capital increase in cash flow from financial assets. That 2% stake in Redcare Pharmacy is included. Cash flow from mergers and acquisitions, it came about, especially with the acquisitions of PADMA and several pharmacies. So, result was that free cash flow was at CHF 49.3 million, or CHF 8.5 million lower than the previous year. The balance sheet continues to go strong.
The market increase of equity by more than CHF 200 million to a total of almost CHF 1.5 billion is mainly due to the extraordinary transaction profit when founding the joint venture MediService and the value increase of our 8% stake in Redcare Pharmacy. The net liabilities went up CHF 57 million to a total of CHF 362 million. The leverage went up from 1.2x to 1.5x the EBITDA, so that's still the lower range of our medium target of ±2x. Thanks to the solid result, we will submit to the AGM a stable dividend of CHF 2.20.
That means the payout ratio will remain high at 68.2%, and half of the dividend will be paid out tax-free from the reserve from capital contributions. Now, let's now take a look at the future. The guidance 2024 is in line with our updated medium-term guidance. We expect a sales increase of between 3% and 5%. For EBIT, we expect a growth of between 8% and 11%. Based on the EBIT 2023, without the one-off items of CHF 9.8 million, that will translate into growth in the height of the expected sales increase of 3%-5%. The dividend also for next year is supposed to be at least at the height of the previous year.
When drawing up the guidance, of course, we had to take into account some regulatory changes at the beginning of the year. Measures to incentivize generic medication and biosimilars have taken effect, such as the increase of the copayment to 40%, should patients prefer the more expensive original medication. And as a result, we expect a stronger growth of generic drugs and biosimilars at the detriment of original medication. By mid-2024, the revised sales share for prescription medicines will take effect. And due to that review, the prices will be lowered for more expensive medication and will be higher for inexpensive ones. And there is a uniform sales share for off patent drugs.
Switzerland expects to economize CHF 60 million in that move. We expect the positive and negative effects of these measures will balance each other out for the consolidated results of the Galenica Group, so we do not expect that to have an influence on our results. Now, let's look to 2024. We are convinced that the wine will be good in 2024, and looking forward to raising our glasses to a successful 2024 together with you. Now, just a quick look to our next event. We'll be happy to welcome you on the occasion of our AGM on April 10.
To give you a more regular update on how business is developing, we'll have, on top of the half-year report, a sales update for May and October. In May for the first four months and in October for the sales generated up until the end of September. Thank you very much for your attention. We'd be happy to take your questions now.
Thank you, Felix. So the next media analysis conference will have to take place a little longer then, so but we'll see what happens. Are there any questions? [Central Bank]. Three questions. First of all, the personnel costs, the employees, the total employee cost, not only wages for, but the increases of wages. And the question is about depreciation regarding physical asset. That's also very important for the EBIT goals. And I see that the physical asset investment has risen, the depreciation have not really increased. They even went down. Does that have to do with accounting? Do we have to expect some more for the next few years or the investment that were done so far, are they depreciated for a longer period? And then, Consultation Plus offer.
I really like that, and you mentioned that there are some pilots that have been launched. How many consultation rooms do you have already at the moment? Well, first of all, the two first and for the third question, maybe Marc, you can prepare for that. Regarding personnel costs, last year, in 2023, we had wage increases averaging CHF 3.1 million from 2022 to 2023. That meant CHF 15 million additional costs in 2023. As to the business year 2024, we have on average 2% wage increases. That's the wage for the entire group. As to the cost increases, in total, we expect them to be in the framework of the sales development. We count on stable EBIT margins, so the personnel costs, we expect them to be within that range of growth.
The second question, depreciation of physical assets. That is asked too much from me in detail, but Mark can talk about the assets, depreciated. There are some depreciated assets. New customers are joining us, and, you know, depreciation remains stable. The assets that are removed are bigger than the ones that were added on to it. Regarding the depreciation times, nothing special has really changed. Okay, thank you, Felix. Well, thank you also for the question. As I've mentioned, we concluded with this pilot. We are in the phase of the rollout. On the one hand, we have to create the infrastructure, build up that consultation rooms, and we started in Zollikofen. It's not only about a general rollout, it's also about a communication to strengthen the consultation and the communication around those pharmacies.
Maybe in a brick-and-mortar pharmacy, you can also have a consultation room that, that's not that great, but, you know, to be doing that in parallel. So as of April, we really focused on 60 consultation rooms accordingly. I have several questions. Well, consultation and primary care in the first half, you said there was a plus of 34%. In the second half, it was a flat development, and if I count correctly, are there any reasons for that? What do you expect growth to look like in future? I think you are counting, hoping for some growth. And then the local pharmacies, the second question, you said you had some market-oriented growth. Yes, I've heard that yeah, last year also. What about the ambition? Do you have the ambition to have over-market average growth?
Well, you said, elsewhere it was 2% last year, so what do they do in a better way compared with you? And one question regarding that sales update that you promised for May and October. You're only referring to sales updates there, or will you also talk about operative figures? Will you also announce some operative figures there? Primary care, yes. In the second half, it was flat, you said. Is that the case? I'm asked too much there, I admit. I probably think that you calculated correctly. Can you give us some indication? Well, we have a strong growth this year. There was a flat development at one point, but that's not a break that we can confirm. No, we have a double-digit growth. Thank you. So that's why the colleagues are here.
So if we don't know the answers, they will know the answers. So it's really an important issue, that rollout this year. We will focus on that. But apart from rollout, communication is so important. We are working in an area where communication, customers get informed about the topic in greater detail, and maybe a provocative communication, a visible communication. And if we do so, we count on clear growth in 2024 and next year. The market growth and the situation, that was the second question. Of course, our ambition is to have above average growth, above market growth. But given our market share position, we are very strong on the market. We have a great share already of the market, so all the more difficult it is to have above average market growth.
You talked about Coop Vitality, they grow, grow stronger than we do, with Amavita or others. And there's important power point, namely, the regional participation of pharmacy. Coop Vitality is really strong in German pharmacies. It's German-speaking Switzerland, but Amavita, not so much. W e are more in western Sun Store, in more in western Switzerland, and via acquisitions, we have a strong weight on French-speaking Switzerland here. So the last year situation, the Amavita situation was stronger in western, in French-speaking pharmacies. And the regional distribution, really, it's always important to also focus on the different locations, really. Coop Vitality, as I said, is almost exclusively located in malls, in greater shopping centers, and Amavita has a broader portfolio.
They are also located in such shopping malls, but also in bigger malls, in high-frequency locations, in the urban, rural areas. So they have different locations, and since Corona, those smaller shopping malls have developed very well. In a city locations have not well developed that great. Also, regarding the bigger malls, we had some trouble. High-frequency locations, there we had a good growth situation. We are at the same level now as before COVID. So all of these factors can also have a bearing on the market growth situation. The third question, we will only publish a sales update. That's to say, we talk, we will talk about the development of sales compared with the market. Of course, we will also be able to publish some market figures, but we will really focus on exactly this, on the sales aspects.
I'm with AFP, and basically just on ESG. Now, will you team up with the science-based targets? We already have not planned that. Let me look at Juergen, though. I'm hesitating. Yes, we do not have that on slate. Maybe to get back on the personnel costs. You mentioned the figures, but how about the situation per se? Has it become easier to find personnel, to find staff? And maybe another question: Are there any trends, international trends, possibly in pharmacies, that you would try to take on, or where you have the feeling that they could come our way in Switzerland or that would create change in Switzerland? And my third question, and I hope I didn't miss it, but there were quite a few one-off special factors that you mentioned in your financial results. Could you give me a bit more of information on that?
Now, the personal situation, let me put it like that, it's really, it depends. Now, generally, I would say that the situation has eased somewhat. So that high that we had two years ago, that really dominated our day-to-day affairs, where we kept on talking about that, that's eased a bit. It could be that we just got used to it, but basically, the situation has eased a bit. So we have measures that have proven to be fruitful. We're doing quite a lot to be an attractive employer. You can see that translated into our results. But there are some specific cases where it is difficult to find a pharmacist, but basically, overall, we can say it's eased up. Now, those trends, that's an exciting question. Thank you so much for that.
Of course, they do exist. In June of 2023, I was in the United States together with a few people from Galenica. We had a look at things on the East Coast, because we're trying to look around in other markets, also the U.K., because they tend to be a bit ahead of the continent, and also in neighboring countries. But I wouldn't say that I saw something with a wow effect, where I thought, "This is novel, this is different. We really have to do that." An important element that we saw in the United States, and that is also in line with our chances to be the first port of call in health questions.
You can tell that, and you can see that in the United States, where you have the health centers that go far beyond the remit of a pharmacy. So, and that is basically our thrust, too, that the customer uses the pharmacy as the first port of call for any issues that they have, which is good for us. But on the other hand, I'm also convinced, and we talked about that last night in an open round table with health professionals, healthcare professionals. Well, we talked about that, customers, first and foremost go to the emergency room, which is the most expensive option and creates a huge load of problems for hospitals.
So that, of course, here at home, will become more pressing in the coming years. Our strategy is to be the first port of call, not the emergency rooms, but us, and we'll have to do something about that, but that is in line with our strategy. Let's turn to the financial results. Yeah, of course, you're right when you remark that we have one-off effects, CHF 10 million in income, where we created a reserve—we decreased reserves. That's Cannaplant and LifeStage. For both acquisitions, the earn-out, of course, comes into play, and that's in line with what we plan.
So we had a legalization opening of the market in terms of cannabis. We expected a much stronger, faster growth, and that's a bit slower than expected, and that was why the reserves for the earn-out basically were reduced. But we're quite happy with the development of Cannaplant per se. Now, the slower growth, sales growth than planned, on the other hand, of course, creates a better margin. So prices have remained good, and that was being compensated for by the income. For Lifestage Solutions, we also have a slower-than-expected growth.
We're quite happy with it, but the sales generated from synergies are a bit delayed as to what we forecast, and that is those are the CHF 10 million that I mentioned before. Then we have used our handsome results for the financial assets to be a lot more prudent in our valuations. So we had CHF 6 million in valuations that we booked to certain stakes. From webcast, Noel? Maybe somebody from the webcast. Yes, there are three questions from Sebastian Fogel. Question one: The shift towards generic drugs, how positive can that become for Galenica on the when it comes to profitability? Second question: How about the growth ambition when it comes to wholesale and the medical doctor channels?
The 2% growth in second half, are they fair? And the third question: How about the new development and the timeline that goes with it? As I said before, well, there are several measures in place to boost the sales of generic sales, which is why we expect a stronger growth of generic sales to the detriment of the original medication. We've already seeing a higher substitution rate for the first half. Now, the impact for the profitability of Galenica will not be negative. Together with the change in the sales margin, we expect a neutral effect on the result.
Of course, the EBIT margin might go up in terms of the percentage, but on the other hand, the sales, of course, will come under pressure because there are more generic medication. So, result neutral, the margin might improve slightly. Then wholesale sales with medical doctors, well, our ambitions are clear. We want to at least grow with the market, and we're confident that we will achieve that. Last year, we did not outperform the market, and we lost one bigger customer, so we underperformed versus the market. And for this year, we expect growth in line with market growth.
The lower timeline, at the beginning, we thought that the new lower contract will be launched together with a new sales margin, but it will be launched later. Whether that's the end of this year, probably it's going to be the end of next year, but it's uncertain. Now, the experts are nodding there in the back. So that's the best answer I can give you at this moment in time. And we have a question from Jan Koch. Thank you. I hope you can hear me. Thank you. I hope you can hear me. Wonderful. Good morning, Mr. Werner, Mr. Burkhard. I have three questions. Now, last year, you said that the train station pharmacy in Zurich was going to reopen. How did that opening go?
How about the sales level, especially on pre-pandemic levels, so do you expect to reach pre-pandemic levels again? And how about the sales level of last year? So would that be something for you in 2024? The second question, it takes me back to the overall Swiss market. You said, Mr. Burkhard, that you were below things in December. How about the development in January and February? And my third question is the margin outlook in 2024, 2025. Now, we talked about sales increase. How about the Omnichannel and the AP project? Do you have the precise contribution that you expect for 2024? Now, on your first question on the train station in Zurich, we opened the doors in November.
Now, on the sales level, well, over the past few years, of course, we clearly lost sales vis-a-vis pre-pandemic levels. And, even in that temporary location. Now, the move to the temporary location coincided with COVID. And, that meant that we markedly lost in sales about half on the previous year, just to give you an idea. Now, it's become clear that given that we've opened new doors again with that beautiful, new, totally revamped pharmacy. Of course, we cannot double sales immediately overnight. So we expect that to be a continuous slow increase. Of course, we do hope that there will come a time where we'll be back at pre-COVID levels, but that will take time, I'm sure.
Because all the environment around the pharmacy is not ideal yet, because there are still construction sites. There are other locations that haven't been revamped yet, so that will take a while. So much for the pharmacy and the train station in Zurich. Now, pharma stats in January and February, in the context of the guidance, that is why we published the guidance, after all. If we have a look at the flu season, which was a bit stronger in January on the previous year, up until the mid of February, and then it went slightly down. So it's a bit weaker than on the previous year, just to give you a feel for how 2024 has kicked off.
And then there was a question where we stand when it comes to ERP projects or our ERP project. And when it comes to Alloga, basically, the project is almost finished. There are one or two pharmaceutical partners that will be switched over to the new version, but that should be finalized in the coming weeks. And so that we have then finalized that for wholesale by Galenica. Of course, the modules will continue their rollout step by step. And in the second half of this year, the Galenica Ecublens will be switched over. That's the distribution center.
Then we'll stabilize that and correct it accordingly, so that in 2025, the second half of 2025, the main distribution center, Nidau, may be switched over and finalize the product project accordingly, by 2025, the end of 2025. Now, omni-channel, our investments are continuing. There are several digital projects that are being developed and will continue to be developed in the years to come. I would not expect that to all of a sudden come to a halt in the coming years, so I'm sure this will continue. Does that answer your question? Yes. Just a quick follow-up, if I may, on the train station pharmacy. Could you remind us of the sales level in 2019? More than CHF 30 million, more or less. Wonderful. Thank you.
One question from Marian Flori.
You're still muted. We can't hear you. Well, that hand has gone now, so still waiting for your question.
Well, let's come to another question from the webcast. Three questions from Adrian Hubsold. First question is Consultation Plus, in how many pharmacies will that be given in the long term? Is it also in the mail order version, and what is the target for the consultation offer that you have in mind? So these are the three questions. Well, everything in all the pharmacies, no matter which distribution channel you have, what kind of infrastructure you have in mind, as I've said, you can use the offer without a big infrastructure behind it. It's a human-to-human contact. It's maybe a different story in major pharmacies and smaller pharmacies and online pharmacies, but basically, it is available everywhere in all the pharmacies.
And that also applies to all our formats, including Coop Vitality, where we also have the same offer at hand. When it comes to the sales in that, we do not publish targets when it comes to the consultation offer. It is important to also add, when it comes to Consultation Plus, this offer not only focuses on consultation services, but also the products, the medications in the framework of such consultations that we sell in that framework, which is also important. What is also important is customer retaining and new customers. And this thanks to the strengthening of this, we hope for an increased growth by new customers compared with the existing customer base that we have.
Then we have one question from Kendra Chao Ham from Alpha Value. Two questions. First question: Should we correlate the non-medication market weakness as a direct consequence of the tighter economic environment? And the second question: What is the patient care segment within the non-medication market?
I understood the first question, but not the second.
Segment, patient care. The patient care products within the non-medication market.
Well, I answer that question in German, if I may. Whether that drop of the non-medication range in pharmacies and drugstores, given the economically difficult situation, whether that really hinges upon that, I don't really dare make a statement. What is clear, however, is these ranges, beauty products, cosmetics, healthcare products, wellness products, nutrition, these, products compete with, retail, international, online, markets. So it's a really competitive market, which is why the mid-term guidance in that range, we assume that there will be a stable development. I think the competition situation in these products, product ranges is really decisive rather than the environment. And in beauty, products, the high price products will certainly also play a role here. And when it comes to patient care, that's a part of this non-medication range. But what exactly was the question?
Products are included in this segment.
Well, we are talking about healthcare products, really. Healthcare products that are not considered medications, so non-medications. Many, like some blood sugar test sample bands, products that are diagnostic means, or instruments, or wound things, bandages, which doesn't hinge upon nutrition and which is not really patient care. That's maybe the negative delimitation that I could offer you here.
No further questions from the web, but there's one question from the room. Stefan Schneider.
A question to mail-order pharmacies, 1.7 sales increase. But what about it when I look ahead to 2024 and beyond? What are the drivers that influence upon that development? Well, that development, when it comes to mail-order developments, that's what we've seen for years, that the sales growth is stronger than the volume that we're talking about. And we are only talking here about prescription drugs. For organizational purposes, it's only about prescription drugs sales that we consider. The number of products have really dropped, and the sales has increased because the niche for expensive therapies and medications really grew in mail-order. This is really important for these complex chronic therapies that we focus on here, and that's why we have a value increase there.
But when it comes to the number of products, we have seen a constant drop for years now. What is positive is 1.7% market growth. So you can take a look at two chapters here. You'll see the development of MediService. It's a joint venture now. You'll see that in the annex or appendix. So we have seen a double speed growth compared with the market. So MediService in this market saw a growth rate of 3%-4% margin last year, so considerably stronger than the market. In general, we think that the development in the coming years in that area will continue. On the other hand, we will certainly also have a more convenient situation for patients with an e-prescription.
We assume that the online prescriptions, the mail order pharmacy side with prescription drugs and non-prescription drugs will rise. There will be a shift, certainly, from the traditional pharmacy, brick-and-mortar pharmacy, and towards the online pharmacy. The strength of that shift will remain to be seen. I do not want to make a forecast here.
Another question. I have two questions really regarding the lowers. That you said end of 2025, we'll see that development. But in general, do you see that as an upside for you? That you will see a positive development, and could you tell us what exactly the expectation is? And another question regarding to the acquisitions this year. You said CHF 33 million for pharmacies have been spent by the beginning of March. Is there anything bigger that you acquired, or is it just many few small pharmacies?
Well, thank you for that question, lower. Well, the original plan was to say the lower taxes were would be increased, and the losses or the loss regarding was to be compensated regarding the product margin side. And the idea was that we would do that simultaneously, that sales margin and the lower tax being introduced. And this new distribution margin has been changed X number of times. And in addition, in the summer, we will introduce a model. Basically, it is a neutral one. The margin will be at the same level, -CHF 60 million, but that reshift of product margin to lower taxes, that is not planned for anymore. So that distribution or sales margin has been revised independent of the lower taxes.
Now we have more time to negotiate that lower contract and whether that really will boil down to higher results or stable results with that lower taxes. We don't really know quite yet, but we are convinced. That's why we really invest in that field of Consultation Plus. We think that more and more services will also go via these taxes and will be considered via that. So we see some growth potential here, but the result of the negotiations remain to be seen. We do not really know quite yet. And when it comes to the acquisition of pharmacies, last year and the year before were rather calm. We acquired seven pharmacies last year, opened one, and seven locations were restructured.
So net new pharmacy was just one, so 0.2% when it comes to pharmacies from expansion. This year started out very much more dynamic. That's to say, some pharmacies have already been signed on. We acquired them, and we are quite optimistic, therefore, that this year will see a stronger growth from the expansion when it comes to pharmacies.
There are no more questions, it seems. Well, if there are no more questions in the room, this is your last chance. Well, then, thank you very much. First off, thank you so much to the organizers, the organizing committee. That's Christina Biri's team. Excellent location, and thank you. Everything worked out nicely. In thanks to my colleagues on the board, we're all here. Thank you for the extra mile that you went. Thank you for letting us present the figures today. And ladies and gentlemen, a very warm thank you to you for really being loyal to us, for your questions, because they always really take us further, and they're an incentive for us to get even better.
As you heard, we are going to present a really very good 2024. Now, I believe we don't have wine today, and but we would like to invite you to join us for a bit of lunch here if you're here in the room. All the colleagues from the board are going, and the management are going to be with you. Thank you very much to the ladies and gentlemen on the webcast for really taking part. Thank you very much for your questions, and enjoy the rest of your day and hope that we'll see you spring soon. Thank you.