WARNING - Scam in your local pharmacy

Jonarr

This is something I think is widespread over the country and is definitely all over in my area.

I noticed my local pharmacy sells paracetamol, a cheap brand, for 89p. The same cheap brand of paracetamol is sold in Asda for 21p. When I qiuizzed the pharacist over why his paracetamol was 4x the price he told me it was fairly priced. So clearly he knows he is ripping people off as it is the same as in Asda!

I have been in several other pharmacies here and elsehwere and seen the same thing. Paracetamol that is designed to be sold cheaply being sold at an inflated price to unsuspecting consumers, including the elderly. There's something really quite wrong with ripping people off when they're vulnerable and ill, and it seems ot be happening everywhere.

So just a warning to everyone!

cte1111

It's not a scam! Shops can sell products for whatever they think is appropriate. If you can buy it cheaper elsewhere, then vote with your feet and do so. I buy paracetamol usually from Tesco for the sort of price that you mention, but if I'm out somewhere and have a headache wouldn't think twice about paying more, if that's the only place I can get it from conveniently.

Eydon

Have to agree with cte1111.

My village pharmacy is at the end of my road, and I'll happily pay extra to buy stuff from her so that I don't have to get in the car, drive to my nearest supermarket, park up, wander up and down the aisles looking for the paracetamol, queue up at the checkout behind the mum and her screaming kid (or behind the pensioner who has decided to use the 'Express' checkout) and then drive home again - all with a pounding headache.

I raise a :beer: to my local village shops. Long may they remain.

vikingaero

Things cheaper in a supermarket than a small shop - shock horror!

rustyboy21

Jonarr wrote: »

This is something I think is widespread over the country and is definitely all over in my area.

I noticed my local pharmacy sells paracetamol, a cheap brand, for 89p. The same cheap brand of paracetamol is sold in Asda for 21p. When I qiuizzed the pharacist over why his paracetamol was 4x the price he told me it was fairly priced. So clearly he knows he is ripping people off as it is the same as in Asda!

I have been in several other pharmacies here and elsehwere and seen the same thing. Paracetamol that is designed to be sold cheaply being sold at an inflated price to unsuspecting consumers, including the elderly. There's something really quite wrong with ripping people off when they're vulnerable and ill, and it seems ot be happening everywhere.

So just a warning to everyone!

It's been going on for so long that if anyone didn't really know about it, then they must have something seriously wrong with their head !

A pharmacy, is a specialist store, which can prescribe drugs for specific ailments, try doing that from a tesco shelf. They can supply stronger meds and a higher quantity too. This is due to them having a pharmacist on duty, who is legally able to prescribe drugs and amounts. Guess what this costs the pharmacy money ! Therefore their margins are higher.

You try buying more than 2 packs from tescos at a time and see where it gets you. You can buty paracetamol cheaper from home bargains, or B&M Bargains, think they are 16p.
I don't think it is right that a supermarket can have these products on display, without a form of advice/restriction. Yes you can buy 2 at a time, but the determined person with suicidal tendencies could get the lethal dose quite easily, without anyone stopping them. At least a pharmacist, or his counter staff, would see maybe the person was in distress and possibly persuade them not to do anything rash, or get them help. Can you see a checkout operator doing that?

It is not a SCAM, it is rather you trying to make an unsubstantiated moan to get it off your chest.

BargainGalore

Exercise you right to buy else where. I believe as a business they can sell and whatever price they can get away with. You get advice from chemist you dont from supermarket unless it has a in house chemist

rustyboy21

What I would complain about more , is the fact that you can buy paracetamol at 21p from a supermarket, which is exactly the same product as the branded product, which costs £3 to £4 !

That I would say it a rip off and a scam of biblical proportions !

System

ASDA buy 20,000,000 paracematol, pharmacist buys 1,000. Pure economy of scale. ASDA can force their purchase price right down as they do with a lot of items. Pharmacist is stuck with the lowest price he can find with no option to haggle.

BoGoF

Jonarr wrote: »

. There's something really quite wrong with ripping people off when they're vulnerable and ill, and it seems ot be happening everywhere.

So paracetomol is the cure for being vulnerable and ill......duly noted.

Why is that every post with Scam in the title you just know it's not going to be a scam.

Googlewhacker

Hardly a scam is it OP

pendulum

It's a troll post. Nobody could be that thick, I don't think.