Tesco pharmacy - returns policy

purplestar133

Can you return items bought from Tesco pharmacies?

I've bought some travel sickness tablets that I have realised since I don't want to take along with the medication I'm on. I thought they were quite pricey but was hassled into buying them.

Can I return them for a refund? Obviously I haven't taken any.

Hope this is the right place to post!

christineperseus

not unless faulty.

ladylouise62

Even if they generally had a no-questions returns policy, no form of drug would be taken back for safety reasons.

geordie_joe

ladylouise62 wrote: »

Even if they generally had a no-questions returns policy, no form of drug would be taken back for safety reasons.

I'm not sure this is true. I think you are getting mixed up with taking something back and reselling it to someone else.

I would agree that no drug would be taken back then resold to someone else, for safety reasons.

But consumers have rights, there are times when they can return items and the law doesn't care if the retailer can then resell the items or not.

I think that if drugs can be returned under consumer law, then they must be taken back. They could only refuse to take them if they were returned under the extra terms the retailer has over and above the consumers statutory rights.

MrsBartolozzi

geordie_joe wrote: »

I'm not sure this is true. I think you are getting mixed up with taking something back and reselling it to someone else.

I would agree that no drug would be taken back then resold to someone else, for safety reasons.

But consumers have rights, there are times when they can return items and the law doesn't care if the retailer can then resell the items or not.

I think that if drugs can be returned under consumer law, then they must be taken back. They could only refuse to take them if they were returned under the extra terms the retailer has over and above the consumers statutory rights.

Yes, but because the drugs the OP bought are not faulty surely they don't have any right to return them? Shops let us return goods we change our minds on out of courtesy rather than any legal obligation.

OP, if I were you I'd try to return them using the argument that only when you got home and read the leaflet did you realise it might interact with your medications. Every time I've bought otc medicines (antihistamines, cough bottles etc) I've been asked if it was for me and if I (or intended recipient) took other medication. Perhaps they were a little lax and didn't ask you about your medicines?

Techno

Sale of goods act only refers to faulty goods and 'distance selling'. We have all got so used to just taking stuff back and getting a refund from most shops but they actually don't have to. I would go with MrsBartolozzi's suggestion

geordie_joe

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Yes, but because the drugs the OP bought are not faulty surely they don't have any right to return them?

Suppose the OP went into the chemist and asked for travel sickness tablets, and was given some, and told they would be suitable. Then got them home, opened them and found a leaflet saying "do not take these if you also take XXX tablets"

And the Op does take XXX tablets. The Op would have the right to return them because they were bought following bad advice. It should have been pointed out that if they took XXX tablets they would not be suitable.

In this case the OP would have a legal right to return them.

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Shops let us return goods we change our minds on out of courtesy rather than any legal obligation.

You are completely wrong, most shops let us return items because the law says they have no choice.

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

OP, if I were you I'd try to return them using the argument that only when you got home and read the leaflet did you realise it might interact with your medications.

So there you go, take them back because they are not fit for the purpose they were bought for. That is the law, if they are not fit for the purpose then the shop must take them back.

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Every time I've bought otc medicines (antihistamines, cough bottles etc) I've been asked if it was for me and if I (or intended recipient) took other medication. Perhaps they were a little lax and didn't ask you about your medicines?

I don't understand this, in your first sentence you say you can't take them back unless they are faulty, then go on to say the OP should have been asked if they would be fit for their purpose.

geordie_joe

Techno wrote: »

Sale of goods act only refers to faulty goods and 'distance selling'. We have all got so used to just taking stuff back and getting a refund from most shops but they actually don't have to. I would go with MrsBartolozzi's suggestion

No it doesn't, it refers to goods being fit for purpose.

If the box declared that the tablets would cure travel sickness. But you would not know that you couldn't take them if you also took XXX tablets, until you had bought them and opened the box, and this was not pointed out to you before ytou bought them, then they are not fit for purpose.

As MrsBartolozzi's points out, "Every time I've bought otc medicines (antihistamines, cough bottles etc) I've been asked if it was for me and if I (or intended recipient) took other medication."

This is because many otc medicines can't be taken if you are taking other medicines. The seller has to establish this, not leave it to you to buy them then find out after you have opened the box.

This is why many can only be sold in a chemist, to make sure these checks are done before the sale.

McKneff

The OP didnt say she 'couldnt take the pills with the medication she was on' She actually said 'she didnt want to'

OP would you like to elaborate.

geordie_joe

McKneff wrote: »

The OP didnt say she 'couldnt take the pills with the medication she was on' She actually said 'she didnt want to'

I know, that is why I started hy hypothetical post with

Suppose the OP went into the chemist and asked for travel sickness tablets, and was given some, and told they would be suitable. Then got them home, opened them and found a leaflet saying "do not take these if you also take XXX tablets"

McKneff wrote: »

OP would you like to elaborate.

It would help, but if you look back you will see I was answering "no form of drug would be taken back for safety reasons" by pointing out circumstances where they would be taken back.

purplestar133

The dispenser told me they would make me drowsy but didn't ask about any other medication I was on but I did mention some hormonal tablets I'm on but I didn't think to ask if they might coincide negatively with my other medication.

I am on antidepressants. The leaflet says not to be taken with tricyclic antidepressants. Mine aren't tricyclic, but I'd rather not take them just in case.