# BENU Pharmacy Scraper — SK LT LV EE Products & Prices (`studio-amba/benu-scraper`) Actor

Scrape pharmacy products, prices, EANs, and stock status from the BENU chain's webshops in Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. One actor, four national catalogs, selected with a country input.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/studio-amba/benu-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Studio Amba](https://apify.com/studio-amba) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.20 / 1,000 result scrapeds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## BENU Pharmacy Scraper (Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia)

Extract pharmacy product data from the BENU chain's webshops: [benulekaren.sk](https://www.benulekaren.sk) (Slovakia), [benu.lt](https://www.benu.lt) (Lithuania), [benu.lv](https://www.benu.lv) (Latvia), and [benu.ee](https://www.benu.ee) (Estonia). You pick the country, give a search keyword, and get back clean JSON with product names, brands, prices, EAN barcodes, stock status, and category paths.

BENU is one of the largest pharmacy chains in Central and Eastern Europe, operated by the PHOENIX group. The four webshops covered here carry OTC medicines, vitamins and supplements, cosmetics, baby care, and medical devices in their national languages.

For Hungary, use the separate [BENU Hungary Scraper](https://apify.com/jelledesramaults/benu-hu-scraper). The Hungarian shop runs on a different platform, so it has its own actor.

### Why use this actor

- **Price monitoring**: track OTC medicine and supplement prices across up to four EU markets with a single actor. All four markets price in EUR, so results compare directly.
- **EAN-level matching**: most products expose their EAN barcode, so you can match BENU's assortment and prices against other pharmacies or your own catalog reliably.
- **Assortment analysis**: see which brands and categories BENU carries per country, including discounts (original price next to sale price).
- **Stock checks**: each product carries an in-stock flag where the site provides one.

No login, no cookies, and no browser automation. The actor reads the sites' own search API, which makes runs fast and cheap.

### How to scrape BENU data

1. Choose the **country**: `sk` (benulekaren.sk), `lt` (benu.lt), `lv` (benu.lv), or `ee` (benu.ee).
2. Enter a **search query** in that country's language. Examples that work well:
   - Slovakia: `vitamín`, `ibuprofen`, `probiotiká`, `opaľovací krém`
   - Lithuania: `vitaminas`, `ibuprofenas`, `probiotikai`
   - Latvia: `vitamīns`, `ibuprofēns`, `probiotikas`
   - Estonia: `vitamiin`, `ibuprofeen`, `probiootikumid`
3. Optionally set a **category filter** to narrow results to one category tree, written exactly as on the site (for example `Výživové doplnky` on SK or `Uztura bagātinātāji` on LV).
4. Set **maxResults** and run. Results land in the dataset as one JSON object per product.

If you leave the search query empty, the actor falls back to a broad default keyword for the selected country so a run always returns data.

### Input

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `searchQuery` | string | Product keyword in the selected country's language. Falls back to a broad default when empty. |
| `country` | string | `sk`, `lt`, `lv`, or `ee`. Default `sk`. |
| `category` | string | Optional category filter, spelled exactly as on the site in the local language. A misspelled category returns zero results. |
| `maxResults` | integer | Maximum products to return. Default 100, hard cap 10,000. |
| `proxyConfiguration` | object | Apify proxy settings. The default automatic pool suffices; no residential proxy is needed. |

#### Example input

```json
{
    "searchQuery": "vitaminas",
    "country": "lt",
    "maxResults": 200
}
```

### Output

One JSON object per product:

| Field | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `name` | `"LIVSANE Vitamín C + vitamín D + zinok 30 kapsúl"` | Full product name |
| `brand` | `"LIVSANE"` | Brand or manufacturer |
| `price` | `7.99` | Current selling price |
| `currency` | `"EUR"` | Always EUR in these four markets |
| `originalPrice` | `18.69` | Only present when discounted |
| `ean` | `"4062981007719"` | EAN barcode where exposed |
| `sku` | `"212907"` | Site-internal product ID |
| `category` | `"Výživové doplnky"` | Top-level category, local language |
| `categoryPath` | `["Výživové doplnky", "Vitamíny a minerály"]` | All categories the product belongs to |
| `inStock` | `true` | `true`, `false`, or `null` when the site does not say |
| `url` | `"https://www.benulekaren.sk/livsane-..."` | Product page |
| `imageUrl` | `"https://www.benulekaren.sk/data/images/..."` | Product image |
| `description` | `"Výživový doplnok s vitamínom C..."` | Truncated to 2000 characters |
| `source` | `"benulekaren.sk"` | Which webshop the item came from |
| `country` | `"SK"` | Country code |
| `scrapedAt` | `"2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z"` | Scrape timestamp |

#### Example output

```json
{
    "name": "NATEO D 4000 kapsulas N60",
    "brand": "NATEO D",
    "price": 15.99,
    "currency": "EUR",
    "ean": "4751003441289",
    "sku": "10012762",
    "category": "Uztura bagātinātāji",
    "categoryPath": ["Uztura bagātinātāji", "Vitamīni un minerālvielas", "D vitamīns"],
    "inStock": true,
    "url": "https://www.benu.lv/e-aptieka/uztura-bagatinataji/vitamini-un-mineralvielas/vitamins-d/nateo-d-4000-kapsulas-n60",
    "imageUrl": "https://www.benu.lv/media/.thumb/.500x400-create-10012762-nateo-d-4000-kapsulas-n60-1-1783655319.jpg",
    "source": "benu.lv",
    "country": "LV",
    "scrapedAt": "2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z"
}
```

### Cost

Pricing is pay-per-event: a small flat fee per run start plus $0.002 per result. A 500-product run costs about $1.00 plus a few cents of platform usage. Runs are HTTP-only (no browser), so compute usage stays low.

Note that a run's usage cost only settles after the run reports SUCCEEDED. Reading the dataset mid-run shows a cost far lower than the final one, so estimate spend from finished runs only.

### Limitations

- One country per run. To scrape several markets, start one run per country (they can run in parallel).
- Hungary is not included; use the BENU Hungary Scraper for benu.hu. The Czech shop (benu.cz) is not covered.
- The search API requires a keyword. There is no full-catalog browse mode, so results are always scoped to a query (or the built-in default keyword).
- Prescription-only medicine prices are generally not sold online and may be missing or listed without a price.
- `inStock` reflects the webshop's availability flag at scrape time, not per-pharmacy shelf stock.

### Which countries does this cover

Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, each against its own national BENU catalog in the local language. Combined with the BENU Hungary Scraper you can cover five BENU markets.

### Related actors

- [BENU Hungary Scraper](https://apify.com/jelledesramaults/benu-hu-scraper) for benu.hu
- [DrMax Scraper](https://apify.com/jelledesramaults/drmax-scraper) for the Dr.Max pharmacy chain (CZ, SK, PL, RO)
- [Eurovaistine Scraper](https://apify.com/jelledesramaults/eurovaistine-scraper) for Lithuania's largest pharmacy chain
- [Apotheka Scraper](https://apify.com/jelledesramaults/apotheka-ee-scraper) for Estonia

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Search for products by name or keyword. Use the selected country's language for best results (e.g. 'vitamín' SK, 'vitaminas' LT, 'vitamīns' LV, 'vitamiin' EE). Leave empty to use a broad default keyword for the selected country.

## `country` (type: `string`):

Which BENU webshop to search. Each country has its own catalog and language. For Hungary use the separate BENU Hungary Scraper (benu-hu-scraper).

## `category` (type: `string`):

Optional. Filter results to one category, written exactly as it appears on the site in the local language (e.g. 'Výživové doplnky' on SK, 'Vitaminai, mineralai ir maisto papildai' on LT, 'Uztura bagātinātāji' on LV, 'Vitamiinid ja mineraalained' on EE). Matches any level of the product's category tree. A misspelled category returns zero results.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of products to return.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Proxy settings. The actor only talks to the sites' Luigi's Box search backend (live.luigisbox.com), which is open from datacenter IPs — the automatic pool suffices (verified in recon without any proxy, 2026-08-18). No residential proxy needed.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "vitamín",
  "country": "sk",
  "maxResults": 20,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQuery": "vitamín",
    "maxResults": 20,
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": true
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("studio-amba/benu-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQuery": "vitamín",
    "maxResults": 20,
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("studio-amba/benu-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQuery": "vitamín",
  "maxResults": 20,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}' |
apify call studio-amba/benu-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,studio-amba/benu-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/IWcC6wtzol0e7hjzN/builds/shq6tYhat5BaSOhjR/openapi.json