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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Boots shouldn't charge me.

251 replies

Lagoonablue · 13/07/2015 22:20

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

OP posts:
firesidechat · 14/07/2015 13:02

YANBU. When DS was about 3, he fell over in Sainsbury's and managed to bit the inside of his lip. Blood everywhere (over him and me) and he was sobbing. Now I was in a supermarket and am a functional adult, so yes I could have purchased things to sort him out. However, before I got as far as doing so, another customer clocked what had happened and alerted a Sainsbury's first aider. They got wipes and cleaned up DS and me; opened a pack of ice lollies from their freezer section and gave him one to eat to stop the bleeding; and got a toy car off the shelf and gave it to him to play with while they ministered to him to calm him down. All for free.

It's a different situation though. The op wasn't in Boots at the time and I can't imagine that there was blood everywhere from a cut or grazed knee. Head and mouth injuries bleed a lot and I imagine that the supermarket had a duty of care because it happened on their premises.

villainousbroodmare · 14/07/2015 13:13

YABU. Totally U.
It would have been very nice if they had helped you out free of charge. But absolutely not to be expected. Especially as the accident did not occur on their premises.
If you had gone into a privately owned pharmacy, or indeed a grocery store, there would have been a far better chance that someone would have had the decency and initiative to assist your little boy without expecting payment.
If all you wanted was a tissue, then a public toilet was the place to go.

Daisywellies · 14/07/2015 13:18

YANBU. It was a bit petty and stingy of them.

AnneTwacky · 14/07/2015 13:32

Yanbu. I don't think anyone should be charged for first aid.

I remember having to take DD into Asda for first aid after she trapped her fingers. The staff were lovely and we weren't charged for the plasters used.

sweetgrape · 14/07/2015 13:33

But all children are different aren't they. Some children go hysterical at the sight of blood, and some cut knees do bleed badly. I don't think it should matter that it happened in the street, it's not as if they're going to say "WHERE DID THIS HAPPEN"? a little boy was crying and bleeding....they should have treated him for free.

Donnakim · 14/07/2015 13:40

YANBU as far as I'm concerned. My staff have helped out several people that have fallen or had accidents in years gone by and used our first aid supplies. It's good customer service for the business and just being decent to others. I would not charge the team for that!

Kamden · 14/07/2015 18:42

OP: AIBU?
MN: Some YABUs
MN: Some YANBUs
OP: Nope, still not being unreasonable and you are meeeen. I'm bored now.

TiredButFine · 14/07/2015 19:06

I didn't RTFT apologies....but Boots would have taken disciplinary action against staff for stealing if they used or gave away stock. I have heard of them sacking a hungry staff member for eating crisps.

CalmYoBadSelf · 14/07/2015 20:41

Tired I think I read about a case some years ago when a pharmacist was taken through disciplinary procedures and dismissed for eating an out of date sandwich when the company would not allow her a break to leave the premises to get lunch. Can't be certain of that though and it may just be anecdotal from the hordes of pissed off pharmacists around!

Someone upthread said pharmacists are highly trained in first aid. Although some may be I would have to disagree on the whole as pharmacy is largely a theoretical subject and, when I worked at Boots, pharmacists were not first aiders so had no training in it at all as the company thought the public would have higher expectations of a healthcare professional so they were more likely to get sued.

I do have a bit of sympathy for the OP, it would be nice to think that people would help someone with an upset child but, sadly, big companies are not interested in anything but money.

MrsRyanGosling15 · 14/07/2015 21:48

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Kamden · 14/07/2015 21:55

MrsRyan If I were to cast aspersions on your parenting based on this thread, I'd assume you're raising sweary and name calling children.

MrsRyanGosling15 · 14/07/2015 22:02

Ahh, but at least they would have some compassion for a bleeding child Grin

Sirzy · 14/07/2015 22:03

People can have compassion for a bleeding child whilst thinking that going to a shop and buying things to deal with it is the sensible approach!

icelollycraving · 14/07/2015 22:22

I am a retail manager. If someone came in & asked for some tissue for a bleeding child,it would not occur to me to not help. I think possibly the salesperson thought you needed help with locating the item.
I helped an older lady up recently when she fell in front of my store,brought her in,made her tea & helped her to wash her hands that had grazed. I did it because I hope someone would do the same if my mum had a fall. I hope lots of people would help someone in need but that lady was so surprised & grateful she sent me a lovely card & gift. It doesn't hurt to take a moment to help if you can.

Bifflepants · 14/07/2015 22:28

YANBU. Common sense and a normal level of compassion would equal a tissue or 2 from the back and a bit of sympathy. Bad business for Boots too.

TheCatsMother99 · 14/07/2015 22:38

YABU. It's a shop, not a walk in centre so you shouldn't expect their staff to give you free wipes etc.

barbecue · 14/07/2015 22:45

icelollycraving the world needs more people like you.

littletwinkletoesx · 14/07/2015 23:47

A pharmacist isnt going to want a blot on the career they have because of breaking the rules of the establishment they work for.
It would be a sackable offence.
Its one of those parent things, like when my dds nappy leaked after a poo when she was small. I had to dash to asda for wipes then to then to buy something quick for her to wear
Put the dirty things in my bag and got on with mt day.
I had the rest of the packet of wipes and the new leggings. Yes it cost me but i reminded myself to remember them next time.
It just one of those things. Like if you snagged your tights on the way to a job interview. You would just have to take the hit.

Yes if you had nipped in to your local newsagents, post office local shop etc a handful of tissue probably wouldnt have been a problem.
But come on they are Boots, a huge company with a huge rule book.
The pharmacist has professional rules to follow alongside the rules the people who pays their wages set.

Yabu.

barbecue · 14/07/2015 23:53

Isn't this what the word "jobsworth" means? Someone who won't do what's best, because it's more than their job's worth.

TiredButFine · 15/07/2015 00:01

Tbf I worked at an independent chemist years ago, the staff there would have given anyone clearly "in need" a few freebies. They often gave little old ladies a few dressings and tape and the like. But I wouldn't expect it from Boots, nor if the person wasn't "in need" clearly desperately poor

CalmYoBadSelf · 15/07/2015 00:03

Unfortunately barbecue we live in times where people don't dare take the chance. These big companies are quite ruthless

slithytove · 15/07/2015 00:08

Only read op.

Yanbu. I work in retail and would have just got our first aider to deal with your ds, using the first aid kit all shops are required to have.

Plus boots could have probably written the stock off and used them in the staff room or something. Not fair you didn't get to choose your own products.

Hellionsitem2 · 15/07/2015 00:13

Staff didn't need to steal to provide a tissue/wipe though. They could have used the shops very own first aid box which is intended for staff/public use.

littletwinkletoesx · 15/07/2015 00:14

Its just the way the world works. Say your son had an allergic reaction or the tissue wasnt clean and he developed an infection. Its all to do with liability.

Fwiw if i had seen you and your son in this situation i would have rummaged through my bag to find something to try to help. or offered to watch him for 2mins while you grabbed something .But Im a human not a huge business with a legal, PR, etc etc department.

kali110 · 18/07/2015 15:55

Surprises me to hear that some retail shops don't have first aiders. Iv worked for 2 of the big retailers and have friends in others and they have all had first aiders. I thought most had them even though it may not be a legal requirement.

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