Forum Topic

Pharmacies profiteering - £16.99 for hand gel on CHR

Message removed at author's request

Emma Goddard ● 2420d18 Comments

"... they were charging £2.99 for the smallest bar of antibacterial soap."Covid-19 is a virus-borne disease, not a bacterial one, therefore whether soap is "anti-bacterial" or not makes absolutely no difference.But the good news is that ALL soap is effective in preventing infection, since from what I can gather it breaks down the protective mucus surrounding the virus, which effectively kills it.On which point there were still bars of soap on sale at the regular price in Sainsburys this afternoon (around 4pm).

Richard Cathcart ● 2420d

You should be more accurate when you name a pharmacy like this. In fact West London Pharmacy is nearer to the Roebuck. I was in there today and they had lots of hand sanitiser on sale fitting your description.

Michael David Rowe ● 2420d

Bars of good old fashioned soap are just as effective as the liquid soaps. Soap destroys the lipids which bind together the proteins in the virus.

Keith Iddon ● 2420d

Sorry. A correction to my original post. I stand corrected and it was indeed the West London Pharmacy (not churchills) selling extortionate hand gel, masks and soap. I get them muddled up as they look fairly similar. Big apologies.Re the antibacterial soap - yes very aware normal soap does the job but what got me was they were deliberately displaying it next to till alongside the hand sanitiser and face masks. Cheeky marketing ploy and again, profiteering on fear...

Emma Goddard ● 2420d

Please don't judge pricing in our pharmacies or corner shops/convenience stores without knowing what the wholesaler price is. One explained to me last week that he's kept prices at cost without adding VAT or utilities and other overheads, therefore selling at a loss- the wholesale price has gone up. They're also working really hard to keep their shelves stocked. On another note, pharmacists' workload has increased hugely. They are working flat out providing a vital service.

Joanna Biddolph ● 2420d

Im told that if you have hand wash thats usually 99% anti bacterial with aloe vera in the cudboard you can purchase what one would call surgical spririt and mix 2/3 spirit to 1/3 of the handwash and transfer to a small bottle for use. Shake everytime you it. Not exactly the real deal but would be more protective than nothing and would get you using it if out and about.

Julian Pavey ● 2420d

I was in Booker on Thursday in an attempt to get some cases of beans for the local foodbank.
I can assure you that the wholesale prices on cleaning products, hand wash and toilet roll have NOT been increased.
Most independent retailers use Booker or similar wholesalers so if they have raised prices they are simply profiteering and when this is all over they should be boycotted.

N V Brooks ● 2420d

Aren't Booker owned by Tessco?

Bernard Allen ● 2420d

It’s even more shameful to get your facts wrong and possibly affect someone business, especially when they are working so hard at Churchill’s to fulfill prescriptions, I think you should get your post taken down before you get sued

John Southey ● 2420d

Booker are indeed owned by Tesco and Makro (in the UK) are owned by Booker.

N V Brooks ● 2419d

Excellent service and got everything I needed

Loraine Pemberton ● 2419d

Yellow Shop in Fauconberg rd is selling 9 or 12 pack toilet roll for £11:99 pmsl.

Paul Brown ● 2419d

Boycott them and pray that as they put up their shutters for the last time they will reflect on price gouging former customers!

N V Brooks ● 2419d

Reported to trading standards

Paul Brown ● 2419d

The numbers in Trading Standards, like the Police and Border Force, and most likely most other agencies there to protect us, have all been slashed in very recent years, Paul. So I sincerely wish you the very best of luck

Roger Talbot ● 2419d

As mentioned it is actually west london pharmacy that you meant to say.Last week I also found this as well. Paid £5 for the 55ml hand sanitizer as I needed it that morning, and only went in because of the sign in the window.They are definitely profiteering from this situation, but what can you do when everywhere else is sold out.

Jared Maddern ● 2419d

Last week they were charging £14.99. Still exorbitant. People won’t forget .

Stewart Jones ● 2419d

Best not judge when we do not know the cost of getting these supplies.. price is driven by supply and demand. Re West London Pharmacy, my family has found this chemist to be very good indeed - informative and helpful. Lucky to have on CHR. The owner has gone out of his way on several occasions to meet urgent requests for friends and family so am very grateful.

Emma Elizabeth ● 2419d