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I shouted at the pharmacy staff today and I feel really shit about it

290 replies

lboogy · 12/09/2019 19:32

I went to boots to buy some lemsip and calpol for me D.C. and DH who are sick with cold.

The rule about not selling more than 2 paracetamol items applies. I've got 2 packs of lemsip, calpol and one pack of cold and flu tablets. Fine. In the past the staff just do 2 transactions.

I get to the till which is long. They call another member of staff to help out. Lady on the beauty counter tells me to come to her for service. Scans the calpol and lemsip and says I can't buy anything else since I've exceeded my 2 paracetamol limit. I said just split the transaction in 2. She says no she can't do that. If I want more than 2, I need to go to the pharmacy. I said if I left the store or even left the queue and came back I'd be able to buy those items again. She's like, I don't make the rules.

Fuming, I walk to the pharmacy. Pharmacist isn't there. Waited for 7 minutes. Even more annoyed I go back to the original queue. New staff says can't buy more than 2. I politely asked her to do 2 transactions. Nope, can't do she says. Before I know it, I'm shouting at her about this ridiculous rule and how I've now been in 3 different queues / tills trying to buy some bloody lemsip.

Anyway, she refuses to serve me. Walks off😡

Now new staff at the till: I said I'll pay for these 2 lemsip and re queue. I paid and walked back to the pharmacy with my 2 other lemsips where the pharmacist or possibly manager is serving. She said she was really sorry the staff are allowed to split the transaction. She doesn't know why they didn't. At this point I started crying - I guess being ill and the stupid staff not using their brain plus finally being validated set me off.

Anyway, now I'm gone and I feel really shit for shouting at the staff. I remember being on the texting end of terrible customers and it's awful. I want to go back and apologise to the staff member but at the same time I'm pissed that 3 different people lacked the ability to use their brain over some bloody lemsip!

OP posts:
themuttsnutts · 12/09/2019 23:46

The self service tills require a member of staff to put paracetamol through. It's age restricted

Nottrueatall · 12/09/2019 23:53

You'll see it in the highlighted bit, that's why Poundland can sell 3 packs of 16 for a £1, because it is a voluntary guideline, not the law.

I shouted at the pharmacy staff today and I feel really shit about it
SuperSara · 12/09/2019 23:55

@NerrSnerr

Oh come on now, we can't have anyone being slightly inconvenienced in an effort to help vulnerable suicidal people now can we?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Nottrueatall · 12/09/2019 23:57

NerrSnerr, it didn't stop me from trying, and at the time, it was just another shitty thing standing in my way, and an inconvenience, nothing more. It certainly didn't make me stop and think.

Aprillygirl · 13/09/2019 00:28

Ugh you sound absolutely vile OP. I don't really see the point of you apologising seeing as you obviously still think the staff were in the wrong, when they were absolutely right not to risk their jobs for an entitled twerp like you.

Tonnerre · 13/09/2019 00:42

I, myself, am happy to split the transactions but you will find others that won't, these are the ones with sticks up their butt. We don't get in trouble if we sell more than the recommended sale and the till doesn't even do anything if we carry on putting them through. It's just one of those things, finding the nice employees in the store I'm afraid.

@1stMumma, you do realise that you are risking your employers being prosecuted and being sacked yourself? That customer you think you are being nice to could be a mystery shopper checking up.

Orangepancakes · 13/09/2019 01:08

Wow, you sound like a massive dick. Who the hell shouts at staff members when they don't get their own way?! The rules are there for a reason. Do what everybody else does and go to another shop.

Imknackeredzzz · 13/09/2019 01:37

Sorry to highjack thread but mumsnet put a warning a few pages back, something about PAs ad TGs, have no idea what that meant?! Can anyone advise?

OldGreyBoots · 13/09/2019 02:58

If I'd split the transaction when I worked in a pharmacy, I'd have received a thorough bollocking at absolute best. No customer would justify that to me, no matter how bolshy Hmm

lboogy · 13/09/2019 03:21

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Ilikethisone · 13/09/2019 03:34

Btw, the guidelines are actually voluntary (as it says in an earlier link), I'm pretty sure that shops don'thave toabide by it, rather that they choose to.

While you technically right. Most retailers take this as an absolute rule. Because if a person does overdose and it comes to ought they bought all their paracetamol in one store, there are consequences. Firstly, the bad press. Then they will have ti be an investigation, costing alot of money and time. And then this will become a legal requirement.

So while it is voluntary, the consequences of not abiding mean it make good business sense to abide by it.

Greatnorthwoods · 13/09/2019 03:39

It's a ridiculous, 'nanny state' rule that serves no real purpose.

Agree it’s a load of nanny state crap

anyginplease · 13/09/2019 03:53

YABU as a former shop worker we used to dread people like you. A wise customer who witnessed a refusal said to me, "how would you feel if you had split transactions and then that person went on to harm themselves". I never felt bad at all after that. The shop workers are only doing their job please don't be rude to them

MajesticWhine · 13/09/2019 04:46

@Imknackeredzzz PA = Personal Attacks and TG= Talk guidelines

MajesticWhine · 13/09/2019 04:49

Apologising in person would be the decent thing to do. And might make you feel better.

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 13/09/2019 04:54

Ahaha this fucking thread and it’s not even AIBU

OP you know that you were in the wrong and you know to just head back in (dosed up on paracetamol), and say “sorry for probably ruining your day yesterday, I managed to ruin mine. Rules are rules and I’m sorry”

[finger pistols]

[moonwalks out of store]

GreatBigNoise · 13/09/2019 06:45

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NerrSnerr · 13/09/2019 06:49

I'm really surprised at all the people saying how it's a nanny state. The aftermath of a paracetamol is horrific, if the person survives the organ damage is catastrophic. It's a really awful way to die as well. Why wouldn't you want to support a rule that has been proved to reduce that?

Vanhi · 13/09/2019 06:55

Yet it's possible to buy boxes of 50 1g paracetamol in Europe over the counter without any problem. Seems like the Nanny state in UK really.

Well just goes to show we can set and make our own rules whilst being a part of the EU. And personally it's a part of the "nanny" state I'd rather keep. It has been shown to save lives. Not all lives, no. For that we'd need better investment in MH care. But for now it's a rule it seems sensible to stick to. If nothing else it makes people aware of the active ingredients in the drugs they take.

MutedUser · 13/09/2019 07:01

You are in the wrong I wouldn’t apologise I just wouldn’t show my face in there ever again. I would refuse to serve you if I worked there and they are definitely in their rights to refuse to serve you again. Would you accept being verbally abused in your workplace? Would you disregard your rules at work and risk your job for a complete stranger. Of course not.

SallyWD · 13/09/2019 07:06

I've never heard of this splitting the transaction business. Never happened to me. I always get told to put the third one back. Fine, they don't make the rules. I. Just go to another shop for the third nearly everywhere sells paracetamol,calpol,lemsip etc. I don't know why you made such a drama over it.

Dyrne · 13/09/2019 07:12

Are people being wilfully ignorant here or something? Still going on about “Nanny States”?

I’ll say it again:

Paracetamol overdoses decreased by 43% after these guidelines were brought in

Soontobe60 · 13/09/2019 07:16

*You can buy huge packs of paracetamol at a pharmacy if you explain that it is, for eg an office.

The transactions limits are for a person. If you are buying for several people they should allow it.*

You're wrong. And workplaces should not have paracetamol products available. We had to get rid of our supply after a health and safety check.
Explain to me how the staff are supposed to know you're buying for several people?

Soontobe60 · 13/09/2019 07:18

OP, you were being incredibly rude and entitled. You tried to get round the rules, staff would not break the rules for you so you had a hissy fit. You are still being rude about the staff, calling them stupid. If I were the manager at that store I would have escorted you off the premises for shouting at staff!
Don't go back and apologise, just don't go in there again. You should be ashamed of your behaviour.

Soontobe60 · 13/09/2019 07:26

*Those with constructive comments thanks.

The rest of you ... can fuck right off*

And there we have it. Op can't get her own way in a shop so has a paddy, then contiunes in the same vein to those of us who are not being 'naice' and telling her not to worry, she was in the right and the shop should have let her have her drugs.
OP, you are behaving like a spoiled teenager who can't have their own way.

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