Boots won't refund my purchase

jasoncrussell

Hi,

I bought a bottle of vitamins tablets last week from Boots, but realised I had bought the wrong ones. I went back today to return them and get a refund or store credit, but they refused saying their return policy doesn't cover medicines. I argued that vitamins are not classed as medicines, but they insisted they were and would not refund me my money.

The pack is completely unopened and in pristine condition, I also have the receipt. Other places seem to offer refunds on vitamins, but Boots don't. Where do I stand legally on this?

Regards,

Jason

Idiophreak

jasoncrussell wrote: »

The pack is completely unopened and in pristine condition, I also have the receipt.

....but the pharmacy would not be unable to guarantee what conditions they had been stored in whilst under your care.

My understanding is that some shops (supermarkets, mainly) will take them back - but swallow a loss in doing so for the sake of "customer service" as they're unable to resell them.

reehsetin

When shopping in store - nothing legally allows you to exchange/return an item that has nothing wrong with it because you've changed your mind.

Bantex_2

Most phamacists will not resell and type of pills that have been returned.

lincroft1710

Boots (or any other retailer) are under no legal obligation to refund or exchange an item bought in error.

Hedgehog99

Agree with other posters about the store not knowing the conditions a customer has kept them in.

You could write and complain to head office, saying that the labels/packaging were too similar, causing you to pick the wrong ones up.

molerat

Boots have done nothing wrong. You have no rights to return / exchange incorrectly purchased items unless their policy says you can.

peachyprice

jasoncrussell wrote: »

Hi,

Where do I stand legally on this?

You have no legal rights to a refund/exchange. Simple as that.

vuvuzela

Hedgehog99 wrote: »

Agree with other posters about the store not knowing the conditions a customer has kept them in.

You could write and complain to head office, saying that the labels/packaging were too similar, causing you to pick the wrong ones up.

Big assumption. What if the packaging was nothing like the one that the OP should have bought ? Unfortunately the OP made a (relatively inexpensive) mistake and has to live with that.

InsideInsurance

jasoncrussell wrote: »

Other places seem to offer refunds on vitamins, but Boots don't. Where do I stand legally on this?

How often do you buy the wrong pills?

As others have said, you have no statutory rights for returning goods bought in store unless they are faulty/ misrepresented.

All you are therefore left with is the stores own return policy, there is probably a copy of it at the till point or they may be able to give you one. See what it says about return of "pills" and if there is any discretionary element to the policy.

jasoncrussell

Thanks for all the replies.

I didn't see any returns policy at the till or in the shop. It was pointed out to me when I went back that on the back of the receipt there is a copy of it's returns policy. It basically says that we'll happily give you an exchange, giftcard or refund if you change your mind. For the safety of all our customers we can't accept returned medicines. I'm still not convinced that vitamins are medicines.