Chemist reluctant to sell generic non-prescription medication

purplephoenix85

I get my hydrocortisone cream from Boots (Derma Care Hydrocortisone 1% Cream) £3.49 for 15g. As I only use it infrequently over a small area, a 15g tube lasts me a while. I've never had an issue with buying it instore, but they did ask why I needed it. It's easy enough to buy it online, no questions asked.

I buy Boots own brand value hayfever tablets as well, no questions asked. Atm, there's special offers online for certain Hayfever Relief products. (BOGOF: Boots Hayfever and Allergy Relief contains Cetirizine Hydrochloride 10mg - 60 Tablets £12.25)

It's worth having a look in Wilkos, Superdrug, supermarkets etc at their own brand stuff. Some Pound shops/Home Bargains/B&M sell hayfever relief, so it's worth shopping about.

HTH!

pmduk

purplephoenix85 wrote: »

I buy Boots own brand value hayfever tablets as well, no questions asked. Atm, there's special offers online for certain Hayfever Relief products. (BOGOF: Boots Hayfever and Allergy Relief contains Cetirizine Hydrochloride 10mg - 60 Tablets £12.25)

You're much better buying it from a reputable online supplier. I bought 12 months worth for less than the quoted Boots offer. But when has Boots ever been cheap for anything?

This article on the main site is normally updated annually for the hayfever season and I've also noticed updates in Martin's weekly email newsletter

Stompa

FWIW Aldi have cetirizine at 69p for 14. Not as good a price as online, but not bad for a store.

purplephoenix85

pmduk wrote: »

You're much better buying it from a reputable online supplier. I bought 12 months worth for less than the quoted Boots offer. But when has Boots ever been cheap for anything?

This article on the main site is normally updated annually for the hayfever season and I've also noticed updates in Martin's weekly email newsletter

Oooh, thanks for that link! I'd forgotten about the guide lol.

I usually go to Boots out of convenience and sometimes I should take my own advice and shop around haha.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Speak clearly and allow your voice to carry back a few feet.

'I would like generic ........ please [saying the active ingredient, not the brandname]. Not the branded version that costs a fortune for the same stuff. No, not the one with 'dual action', you'd get the same effect by taking the generic and a paracetamol, thank you. No, not the branded one. The generic is perfectly fine, please. That's right, the generic, not the one in the fancy box'


Smile as you say it.


You'll find that 9 times out of 10, they'll miraculously discover a packet of generics out the back.