To think this is not an acceptable attitude from Boots?

[pointythings]

So apparently they won't lower the price of emergency contraception (Tesco and Superdrug have done so) because they get complaints from people who are opposed to it and because lowering the price might make women 'use it inappropriately.

link here

Of course businesses are allowed to make their own policy choices, but this is blatant misogyny. So they won't be getting any more of my money.

even if they are there every day - so what?

not ideal but better than an unwanted pregnancy

LurkingHusband they have decent makeup selection if you have one of the bigger Boots

Is that a hint ?

I have to go a lot at the moment and most of them seem to be there three-four times a week.

How does that work then? I mean, realistically you can only get pregnant during one brief period within any given month. So if these young women are going almost every day, are they stocking up? Selling them on?

Last time I went to boots to buy the morning after pill in Jan the pharmacist asked if I wouldn't rather wait til the next day to go the GP as it was free and was almost apologetic that it cost so much. I could have waited til the next day but wanted it ASAP. I appreciated her suggesting that I get it for free though

I love boots but this has seriously pissed me off. I shall be cutting my boots card up and sending it to their head office.

I must add, I had originally gone to Superdrug but they'd run out!

I've had the MAP from Boots recently and it was free. Just a consultation with the pharmacist and sign a form. Maybe it's down to the individual pharmacy?

I am not a fan of Boots, however Pointythings I would like to clarify a few things.

1. Boots is not run by Pharmacists, they a a global company run by boards of directors and shareholders just like most companies of that size. Please don't tar Pharmacists with the same brush (even the ones who work for Boots).

2. You mentioned GP's surgeries as the place to go for free EHC however many pharmacies offer free EHC as part of the NHS services they offer including many Boots pharmacies as in fact mentioned in the article.

I would agree the price is extortionate when purchasing EHC but it might be a better use of time promoting the fact that you can receive this FREE service from a huge number of pharmacies and campaigning for that to be more widely available and publicised appropriately so that women know where to go.

The point by Boots was badly made (probably by men) however there is also a need to not overly rely on EHC and rather educate women on practicing safe sex and use EHC as it was intended - in emergencies. There is something to be said on making it too readily available causing some people to rely on it as a form of contraception which is not what it was designed for, for example did you know that Levonelle is basically as good as a placebo if taken too closely to ovulation which is exactly when you would most need it!

I'm most definitely not on the side of Boots, however I think there is a great deal more to the argument than "Boots is charging more to punish sexually active women".

The MAP should be taken as soon as possible so that pharmacist wasn't doing you a favour by suggesting you wait AngryGinger.

Cost of MAP is significantly less than any of the outcomes for an unplanned pregnancy.

Women might take it inappropriately? FFS. You can't get high on it. It makes you feel shit. It's not fun medication to take. Boots need to wise up and understand women are not simpletons. And we spend a lot of money in their stores, money that we could also spend elsewhere.

July Given that the MAP is by all accounts about £5-6 in France, I'd like to see some stats on frequency of use and price in different countries before accepting the idea that making it cheaper/more readily available will automatically lead to an explosion of MAP use.

I've never needed the MAP and I absolutely agree that better education on appropriate contraception is important, but the way Boots are handling this is just not acceptable. Especially because those disadvantaged will disproportionately be poorer women.

Campaigning for better information about where to get EHC is a good idea, but that doesn't make Boots' stance any less awful.

Boots. The W.H. Smiths of chemists

I want to high five you so bad for this .

I can't believe those were the reasons they gave for not making it free. Actually outrageous! I very rarely boycott shops, but for this I'll gladly make an exception.

Re: the girls who are there 3-4 times a week. In theory if you haven't ovulated yet, each MAP could merely delay ovulation; then every subsequent instance of sex without contraception would require an MAP. But it seems cheaper/more sensible to either just get a contraceptive pill or IUD in at that point.

If they are coming in to an NHS clinic for the MAP to obtain it for free, it makes sense that the prescribing doctor would walk them through this.

I love a good Boots haul, but I'll be doing my monthly spree elsewhere from now on.

Groupie123 How do you know what they are there for? TBH it seems very unrealistic, around here you can get the paid one as much as you like but you're only allowed the free one 3 times within a certain period.

It might have something to do with the fact that the company is, I believe American owned and unfortunately we all know the widespread disdain shown towards any kind of family planning and women's health issues...

It's not so much about an explosion of use (in my opinion) but rather the overuse by the same people using it almost as a regular form of contraception which is the worry, after all even £5-£6 can be a lot for some people so it makes no difference whether it is £5 or £500... free and readily available with the right advice to go with it is most certainly the best option.

I'm actually incredibly angry about this and I'll be redeeming my advantage card points tomorrow, cutting it up and not shopping there until they rethink this

If Tesco and Superdrug are cheaper, as you say, what does it matter to you if Boots are more expensive!

quizqueen it matters a lot if you are in a small town where Boots might be your only option... Getting the MAP is a time sensitive process, you know.

And even if you have a lot of choices, why would anyone think it acceptable for a company to impose its own 'ishoos' about women and their ability to make decisions on others? According to Boots, women shouldn't have agency because some other people are suffering from moral outrage about a particular form of contraception. Meanwhile men can get condoms any time they want. Double standards, much? I have daughters, this matters.

they get complaints from people who are opposed to it and because lowering the price might make women use it inappropriately

Sometimes I think some people really think women are stupid with no intelligence at all, I mean who thinks well I won't bother using any protection I'll just take the morning after pill why becuase that's some how easier than the telling the man to put a condom on the end of his penis? Or going on the pill/implant/coil?

Even if there is a group of women that would "use it inappropriately" 😂 Why should someone that has taken every action to be careful, but it's failed (I.e condom split) or in the moment forgot 1 time to use protection have to pay more becuase of a very small group that can't be trusted to use it appropriately.

Because many small towns have a Boots, but not a Tescos pharmacy or a Superdrug.

The list of reasons for regarding Boots as the Shit High Street Retailer of the Last Millennium And This One just grows and grows and grows . . .

I got the MAP free from Superdrug once. It was a few years ago but weirdly I'm sure the pharmacist said it was free if I took it on the spot in her presence but I would have to pay if I took it away with me instead. I can't remember why!

because it is free - it's contraception - you can get it free

Go to my local Urgent Care on any given day and most of the young women there are for the morning after pill. I have to go a lot at the moment and most of them seem to be there three-four times a week.

And you know why those women are there how exactly? Also agree with the point pointy made. It's highly unlikely they are taking the MAP multiple times a week.