To think Boots shouldn't charge me.

[Lagoonablue]

Shopping after school and my 5 yr old falls heavily on his knees. He is crying and knees are bleeding and dirty. We are 15 min walk from home. I am next to Boots. I go in with my hysterical 5 yr old and ask if they can help. A pharmacist hands me a pack of antiseptic wipes and some wound dressing. I clean him up and then she says £4.99 please.

I pay for the wipes but not the dressing as I haven't used it. Left feeling a bit miffed. Surely they had the odd wipe knocking about and do wouldn't use the opportunity to sell me a product! I went there as it was the nearest place and kind of made . sense. However I bet if I went in any other shop they might have helped out by using their own first aid kit or something,

It's not about the money but feel it wasn't very sympathetic

I agree with you. Very stingy and uncharitable.

YABU Boots is a shop not the NHS walk-in centre.

they are a business

YABU

Yabu. It's a shop. They don't use their stock so wouldn't have wipes knocking about. Would you say the same if it was a co op you walked past

I think they should have helped and not charged.
I would if you knocked on my door. Hope your ds is feeling better.

Yes they are a business, but still it's a bit mean. They're not going to go bust for the sake of a wipe and it's a decent thing to do.

YABU it is not a clinic. They are a pharmacy who sell items. Of course you have to pay.

I would think that most shops would have a first aid box with wipes in!

Sorry but yabu. I would have paid without being asked.

As an ex shop manager I wouldn't have given you wipes or a plaster in case your child was allergic to them. The accident wasn't in boots and it wasn't their fault, why would they just give you stuff?

I understand you were stressed, but YABU.

They sell medical supplies to people that come in and ask for them. There's absolutely no objective reason why your case was any different to someone with a headache asking for paracetamol. Sorry.

If you'd gone into any shop that sold first aid supplies they would have sold them to you rather than given them to you. Unless you'd sustained the injury in their store, or were dying, I don't think they're obliged to use their first aid kit on anyone who wanders in off the street.

You got what you needed, they made a sale, everyone's happy.

Well I for one feel a little bit worse about the world after reading this thread.

YABVU

I can't get my head around why you think they should have given you their stock FOC

I would have gone in and bought a dressing/ wipes anyway It would never occur to me to have it for free.

I go in and buy pills when I am hit with a migraine or flu symptoms. I buy tampons if I suddenly start a period when I am out and unprepared. I buy plasters if I get a blister when out. That is the point of the chemist. Not to give it away for free.

YABU - but hope your DS is better - poor little chap

DS had a massive nosebleed in Asda and I paid for the water I grabbed to help him out. They did provide a load of blue tissue and watched him while he sat pathetically bleeding all over the sofa as I sorted out the other one.
So maybe it would be nice if they gave you some wipes.
Thankyou lovely Asda ladies and nice man who gave me his baby's wipes if you are reading.

I work in a shop and today a customer asked for a plaster - I obliged, but felt grumpy about it - there's a boots right opposite - so I did mumble they could've gone and brought a packet! However, when I was 6, I got mown down by a cyclist (totally my fault - I ran in front of her) and my mum took me into Boots as it was the closest place and they were fabulous! I did end up in a&e for stitches but they were great! 41 years on and I still have the scar!! So you are BU and you're not

Well I'm hardly bonkers for asking for help am I?

Yes they are a business I realised this but if faced with a child who was crying and bleeding I might have expected them to be a bit more charitable. Also I meant to say I did ask if they had a tissue or something to stop the bleeding. They decided to hand me stuff off the shelf. I was flustered and didn't think to ask if they were going to charge me.

As for a first aid kit being for staff only..... You would really wouldn't help out a small child who had an accident??? I didn't even want a plaster, just something go stop the blood.

Imagine what would happen if everyone could just go in after an accident and get the stuff for free. It would cost them a fortune.

I can't believe you even thought they would give if for free tbh.

The people who work there don't own the stock and wouldn't be allowed to give it away anyway. YABU.

Agree with others - I am amazed you would have expected to receive the items for free.

Having said that, I was mugged in Malaysia, years ago, and the staff at the local pharmacy saw it happening outside, brought me into the store, and dressed my numerous wounds for me. When I offered to pay of the dressings they refused to take any payment, which I thought was exceptionally kind, although I wouldn't have expected it from them.