For pharmaceutical companies active in pharmacies and drugstores, 3D printing opens up concrete possibilities to create or adapt promotional accessories and POSM (point of sale material) without expensive moulds or high minimum order quantities.

The goal is not to replace all traditional POSM, but to identify where 3D printing really adds value: flexibility, customization, small batches and faster execution.

3D‑printable accessories in pharmacies / drugstores

The most relevant use cases are where custom geometry or small volumes matter for the brand.

• Shelf and counter accessories
  • Price tag holders and clips tailored to specific shelf profiles.
  • Risers to highlight a range (vitamins, dermo, seasonal products) without re‑tooling custom acrylic pieces.
  • Small counter displays for a single box, a duo or a trio of products.
• Information and promotional supports
  • A5 / trifold leaflet holders for prescriptions, patient information or campaign leaflets.
  • Shelf‑stoppers and small tabletop signs with shapes linked to an indication or a key visual.
  • Bases integrating a QR code (printed or embedded) leading to product pages, loyalty programmes, educational content or campaign landing pages.
• Back‑office organisation and education
  • Bottle organisers, drawer dividers, pillbox supports, sample holders.
  • These items can be provided by the company as practical tools that both support the staff and reinforce the brand.

Materials: PLA and PETG for healthcare POSM

In practice, two material families cover most POSM needs on the manufacturer side.

• PLA (polylactic acid / polylactide)
  • Advantages: very easy to print, good surface finish, ideal for temporary or decorative elements such as windows, seasonal campaigns or concept tests.
  • Limitations: more sensitive to heat and direct sunlight, better suited to indoor use and limited timeframes.
• PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol‑modified)
  • Advantages: stronger, better mechanical performance, higher tolerance to repeated handling and temperature variations; suitable for durable displays, counter supports and frequently handled accessories.
  • Interest: good balance between robustness and printability in a retail environment.

Recycled PLA or PETG options make it possible to align material choices with the company’s ESG narrative: recycled sources, on‑demand production instead of over‑production, reduced POSM waste.

Precedents and inspiration from retail

Across retail, several projects highlight how 3D printing can serve store design and POSM:

• Store interiors and façades printed in 3D from recycled plastic, with organic or “glacier‑like” textures underlining sustainability messages.
• Parametric window structures (coral‑like shapes, cellular patterns) made from recycled materials, used by premium brands to create strong first impressions at the entrance.
• Columns, plinths and organic modules acting both as scenographic elements and product supports, sometimes made from biomaterials (mycelium, recycled composites).

For a pharma company, these examples can inspire:

• 3D‑printed window structures (arches, waves, textured frames) to support key moments such as sun care, allergy, dermocosmetics or winter season campaigns.
• Reusable decorative elements (abstract shapes, panels, neutral volumes) that can be recoloured or recombined from one campaign to the next instead of producing single‑use kits.

Key 3D printing trends applied to healthcare POSM

Several trends are making 3D printing increasingly relevant to retail campaigns in healthcare.

• Short runs and rapid testing
  Campaigns are shorter, tooling budgets are under pressure. 3D printing allows quick testing of new display concepts in a sample of pharmacies / drugstores before industrial roll‑out.
• Local customization
  Slightly adapting shapes, languages, messages or colours by country, region or store type, while keeping a common design base.
• Simple digital integration
  3D‑printed supports can easily integrate dedicated areas for QR, NFC or small lighting modules, enabling simple phygital journeys.
• Distributed production
  Designs can be produced by POSM partners, 3D print hubs or local providers, reducing lead times and enabling late adjustments (extra language, updated message, etc.).

How a pharma company can structure its approach

To answer “which accessories, which materials, which trends, what to do with 3D printing?”, a structured approach helps to stay pragmatic.

• 1. Identify 3–4 priority POSM families
  For example: shelf accessories, counter units, window elements and back‑office organisation. The goal is to focus on a few high‑value use cases.
• 2. Define a simple material pair
  • PLA (polylactic acid / polylactide) for temporary, test and decorative elements.
  • PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol‑modified) for items that must last and be handled regularly.
• 3. Prototype on a reliable desktop printer
  Use printer capabilities (precision, multi‑colour) to integrate brand colours and logos directly into prototypes, so that the look and feel is close to final POSM.
• 4. Test in a panel of stores
  Deploy these 3D‑printed POSM across a sample of pharmacies / drugstores, with structured feedback (installation, readability, stability, staff perception).
• 5. Standardise winning concepts
  Validated designs become part of the company’s POSM catalogue, either produced continuously with 3D printing or converted to industrial solutions where volumes justify it.

By focusing on a few accessory families, relying on a PLA/PETG material pair and running in‑store pilots, 3D printing becomes a practical tool for trade and marketing teams: fewer tooling constraints, more flexibility, and closer alignment with real‑world retail conditions.