Cheapest hayfever remedies 2007

MSE_Martin

What's it about?

The hayfever season's upon us and it's harsh on pocket as well as the nose. Yet it's possible to substantially cut the cost of hayfever and allergy drugs, and this is a full list of the cheapest.

Why do prices vary so much?

Simple, we tend to buy branded medicines where most of the cost goes to packaging, sugar coating, building the brand and profits. Whereas, actually the key is to buy generic (unbranded) products with the same 'active' ingredient - the bit that does all the work.

The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, so the same active ingredient, in the same dose, should do the same thing; even if its not a famous brand name, read the Cheaper Medications and Prescriptions article for more on how this works.

How to find the right tablets for you.

Different hayfever drugs work in different ways and thus have different active ingredients. Here are the four major brands and their active ingredients (which will be listed in the table of cheapest generics below).

• Zirtek. Active ingredient, Cetirizine dihydrocholride (CD)
• Claritin. Active ingredient, Loratadine (LR)
• Benadryl. Active ingredient, Acrivastine (A)
• Piriton. Active ingredient, Chlorophenamine (CP)

The Cheapest Hayfever Tablets

I'm going to list the cheapest generics first and then the cheapest branded; I'm concentrating on high street stores, though there is one cracking online deal I've included and it's also worth checking your local pharmacist.

WARNING! Always double check the active ingredient on the packet is the correct one for you before taking any tablet! Plus if you've food/medicine allergies take care in case the non-active ingredients have changed from what you're used to.

Cheapest Generic 7 Tablets packs (for full store by store list see appendix below)

• Cetirizine dihydrocholride (like Zirtec): Tesco, ASDA 87p nationwide, or 69p in-store at HomeBargains (TJ Morris Ltd, Midlands only)
• Loratadine (like Claratin): Tesco, ASDA 87p nationwide, or 69p in-store at HomeBargains (TJ Morris Ltd, Midlands only)
• Acrivastine (like Benadryl): Difficult to source so see branded section below
• Chlorophenamine (like Piriton): Sainsburys pharmacy 30 pack £1.99
• £1.79 for a pack of 30, if you'll buy online in bulk. Online pharmacist Chemist-4-u is selling generic Cetirizine dihydrocholride and Loratadine in packs of 30 packs for £1.29 plus postage. Unfortunately you need to buy six packs to get this price; so including £3 postage, 180 tablets work out at £10.74 (equal to £1.79 for 30). Chemist-4-u is registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and has received good feedback.

Cheapest Main Brand tablets on the high st:

• Zirtek (CD) 7 pack £2.72 (currently 2 for 1) at Tesco
• Clarityn (LR) 7 pack £2 at Tesco
• Benadryl (A) 12 pack £3.99 (currently 2 for £6) at Morrisons
• Piriton (CP) 30 pack £3.15 at Boots and Morrisons
• It's cheaper online if you buy in bulk. Again you can cut the price online at Chemist-4-u

Eye Drops

• In-store: Boots: Own brand Sodium Cromoglicate drops 10ml £4.79, or Opticrom branded £4.99.
• Online: Generic Sodium Cromoglicate drops 10ml £1.69, Allomide lodoxamide drops 5ml £3.49 (min. order 2) from Chemist-4-u

Do check whether an in-bulk prescription will be cheaper.

Its often possible to get a prescription for hayfever tablets, so if your doctor gives you a prescription for a three months supply then as its £6.85 this is the cheapest way to get branded tablets (unless you live in Wales of course, where it's totally free).

IF YOU SPOT ANY CHEAPER (AND LEGIT) PLEASE CLICK REPLY TO REPORT THEM. Found any legit and cheaper?

Please report your finds below by clicking reply. If possible put the price, the source and the active ingredient.

Martin

APPENDIX: Full Current High Street Price 7 Tablets Listing By Store

Aldi:

LD & CD Generic 89p

ASDA:

Zirtek 7s £3
Piriteze 1 A Day 7 pack £3
Own Brand CD/LR 7s 87p
Galpharm CD/LR 7s £1.17

Boots:

Benadryl A £3.98(12's)
Benadryl CD £2.99/7 tabs
Zirtek £2.71/7 tabs
Own Brand LR/CD £2.69/7 tabs or £7.79/30 tabs (currently 2 for 1)
Value health LR 98p/7 tabs CD 99p/7 tabs

Morrisons:

Clarityn £2.99/7 tabs (currently 2 for £4)
Zirtek £2.99/7 tabs
Benadryl £3.99/12 tabs (currently 2 for £6)
Own Brand Loratadine LR or CD 99p/7 tabs

Savers:

Galpharm LR or CD 97p

Superdrug:

Benadryl 12's 2 for £6
piriteze (CD) 2 for £5.50 7 tabs
Zirtek £2.99/7 tabs
Own Brand £1.99/7 tabs (currently 2 for £3)
Galpharm CD/LR £1.59 (currently 2 for £2)

Tesco:

Benadryl Cetirizine 7s £2.80 (currently 2 for 1)
Zirtek 7s £2.72 (currently 2 for 1)
Clarityn 7s £2.97 (currently 2 for 1)
Piriteze 1 A Day 7 pack £2.77 (currently 2 for 1)
Own Brand CD/LR 7s 87p

Sainsburys:

Generic/own brand (CD)x 7 £0.98p
Generic/own brand (CD) x30 £3.99
Generic/own brand (LR)x 7 £0.98p
Generic/own brand (LR)x 30 £3.99
Generic/own brand (CP)x 30 £1.99

Wilkinsons:

Own-brand LD around same price as own-brand above yet sometimes 2 for 1

mikeymonkey_2

hi, you could of course get free prescriptions in Wales for your hayfever remedies !

Mike

kaizen99

I have seen cheaper medication sites in the past, but have been retiscent to use them. I saw this article and ordered all I need on the site - and saved more than I believed possible. I must add that I am Welsh and applaud the free prescription policy in that country. Sadly, I live in England, so this recomendation is a breath of fresh spring air...without the symptoms...

londoncityslicker

There was a time not so long ago (3-4 years) when you could walk into Boots.
Go to the pharmacy and ask for a prescription pack of hayfever pills
ie 30 in a box and pay for them over the counter at a reduced price.
Think it was something like 3.50 then. (which was pretty good at the time)

They don't seem to do that anymore (well the pharmacists seem to have a puzzled look on their faces when you ask them)

But with 87p deals at the supermarkets I guess this is redundant.
Boots seem to be charging over the odds even with their 2for1 offers.

A.

vikingaero

londoncityslicker wrote: »

There was a time not so long ago (3-4 years) when you could walk into Boots.
Go to the pharmacy and ask for a prescription pack of hayfever pills
ie 30 in a box and pay for them over the counter at a reduced price.
Think it was something like 3.50 then. (which was pretty good at the time)

You still can!

If you walk into your local chemist, ask for a 30 pack of Generic Ceterizine. I got a Numark branded 30 pack for £3.99.

My chemist pal says that Ceterizine works best for most people and Flixonase is the more efficient nasal spray for most people.

petero_2

Be aware the lowest option for postage is now 3.25, the Cetirizine dihydrocholride is still a good deal though

babyangel10

I use Piriton equivalent and last year Asda were selling them at under £2 for 30tabs. Just called Asda anti histamine (or maybe anti-allergy, can't remember - even though i've only just gone in the kitchen to check!:o )

They contain the same ingredient as Piriton - chlorphenamine (or however you spell it!)

arfortune

I use to suffer awfully from Hayfever but over past 2 weeks have been using Medinose. This emits light into the nose which 'turns off' the allergies.

My Grandmother saw it on 'This Morning' and told me about it. I'm staggered how much better I feel and haven't touched any tablets since. It costs between £50 - 75 so initally a bit of an outlay but I would genuiinly recommend it to anyone. You also get a 30 day money back guarantee if it doesn't work.

It's widely available on the web - just google Medinose.

Alex

jwillow_2

You can get the equivalent of Zirtek and Clarityn from Home Bargains (it's a cut price store possibly only in the North/Northwest) for just 69p. I always stock up on them from there and they work exactly the same as the more expensive brands.
:j

blueswampdonkey

Hi

I work for Sainsbury's Pharmacy and we are selling our own brands

Cetirizine dihydrocholride (CD)x 7 £0.98p
Cetirizine dihydrocholride (CD) x30 £3.99
Loratadine (LR)x 7 £0.98p
Loratadine (LR)x 30 £3.99
Acrivastine(A) (no own brand)
Chlorophenamine (CP)x 30 £1.99 which is £1.00 cheaper than Piriton

Also last year we reduced the price of the Cetirizine & Loratadine x 7 to 87p which makes them cheaper than the packs of 30

steve_anne

:j Hi all

I've just had a look on http://www.chemist-4-u.com/eshop/search.php?mode=search and found that chlorphenamine (Piriton) is available for £1.59 for 28 tabs, or if you really want to stick your neck out and buy 6 packs, the price drops to 99p! I've just bought the six packs and wasn't charged any postage at all, so what a bargain! :rotfl: