| € million | 
 | Note | 
 | Dec. 31, 2023 | 
 | Dec. 31, 2022 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-current assets1 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | ||||||
| Goodwill1 | 
 | 
 | 17,845 | 
 | 18,389 | |||||||
| Other intangible assets1 | 
 | 
 | 6,551 | 
 | 7,335 | |||||||
| Property, plant and equipment1 | 
 | 
 | 9,056 | 
 | 8,204 | |||||||
| Investments accounted for using the equity method | 
 | 
 | 
 | 3 | 
 | 3 | ||||||
| Non-current receivables | 
 | 
 | 28 | 
 | 27 | |||||||
| Other non-current financial assets | 
 | 
 | 981 | 
 | 957 | |||||||
| Other non-current non-financial assets | 
 | 
 | 115 | 
 | 99 | |||||||
| Non-current income tax receivables | 
 | 
 | 9 | 
 | 10 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets | 
 | 
 | 1,514 | 
 | 1,310 | |||||||
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 36,102 | 
 | 36,334 | ||||||
| Current assets | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | ||||||
| Inventories | 
 | 
 | 4,637 | 
 | 4,632 | |||||||
| Trade and other current receivables | 
 | 
 | 4,004 | 
 | 4,114 | |||||||
| Contract assets | 
 | 
 | 104 | 
 | 128 | |||||||
| Other current financial assets | 
 | 
 | 499 | 
 | 321 | |||||||
| Other current non-financial assets | 
 | 
 | 633 | 
 | 705 | |||||||
| Current income tax receivables | 
 | 
 | 473 | 
 | 446 | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 
 | 
 | 1,982 | 
 | 1,854 | |||||||
| Assets held for sale | 
 | 
 | 62 | 
 | – | |||||||
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 12,393 | 
 | 12,201 | ||||||
| Total assets1 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 48,495 | 
 | 48,535 | ||||||
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | ||||||
| Total equity | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | |||||||
| Equity capital | 
 | 
 | 
 | 565 | 
 | 565 | ||||||
| Capital reserves | 
 | 
 | 
 | 3,814 | 
 | 3,814 | ||||||
| Retained earnings | 
 | 
 | 
 | 20,228 | 
 | 18,463 | ||||||
| Gains/losses recognized in equity | 
 | 
 | 
 | 2,073 | 
 | 3,086 | ||||||
| Equity attributable to shareholders of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany | 
 | 
 | 
 | 26,680 | 
 | 25,927 | ||||||
| Non-controlling interests | 
 | 
 | 
 | 75 | 
 | 78 | ||||||
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 26,754 | 
 | 26,005 | ||||||
| Non-current liabilities1 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | ||||||
| Non-current provisions for employee benefits | 
 | 
 | 2,192 | 
 | 2,030 | |||||||
| Other non-current provisions | 
 | 
 | 277 | 
 | 299 | |||||||
| Non-current financial debt | 
 | 
 | 9,239 | 
 | 9,200 | |||||||
| Other non-current financial liabilities2 | 
 | 
 | 147 | 
 | 141 | |||||||
| Other non-current non-financial liabilities2 | 
 | 
 | 17 | 
 | 19 | |||||||
| Non-current income tax liabilities | 
 | 
 | 39 | 
 | 38 | |||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities1 | 
 | 
 | 1,130 | 
 | 1,287 | |||||||
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 13,042 | 
 | 13,015 | ||||||
| Current liabilities1 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | ||||||
| Current provisions for employee benefits2 | 
 | 
 | 83 | 
 | 81 | |||||||
| Current provisions | 
 | 
 | 575 | 
 | 372 | |||||||
| Current financial debt | 
 | 
 | 702 | 
 | 1,228 | |||||||
| Other current financial liabilities2 | 
 | 
 | 1,005 | 
 | 1,153 | |||||||
| Trade and other current payables1 | 
 | 
 | 2,545 | 
 | 2,499 | |||||||
| Refund liabilities | 
 | 
 | 877 | 
 | 912 | |||||||
| Current income tax liabilities | 
 | 
 | 1,433 | 
 | 1,483 | |||||||
| Other current non-financial liabilities2 | 
 | 
 | 1,479 | 
 | 1,786 | |||||||
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 8,699 | 
 | 9,514 | ||||||
| Total equity and liabilities1 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 48,495 | 
 | 48,535 | ||||||
| 
 | ||||||||||||