Pharmacy accused of 'profiting from misery' with £6 paracetamol during coronavirus pandemic

  • Video report by ITV News Midlands Reporter Ben Chapman

It's not just food supplies that are feeling the pressure - medicines like paracetamol can't keep up with demand.

And that's led to a rise in costs and ultimately an increase in prices while the public copes with the coronavirus pandemic.

In Birmingham on Thursday morning, a customer was asked to pay £6 for a box of paracetamol that she said was priced at 60p just last week.

Jayne Brady, outraged by the price hike, criticised Jhoots pharmacy of “profiting from people’s misery” in an exchange caught on camera by ITV News.

“I was really upset and quite frankly disgusted that a company the size of Jhoots was profiting by other people’s misery,” she said later.

“They’re taking advantage of people.”

In a statement today Jhoots blamed what it described as pricing disparities in a small number of its branches on an “erroneous communication.

It said it will refund customers who have been affected and ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Following criticism, Jhoots has lowered its prices again.

Boris Johnson warned companies on Thursday he does not want “profiteering of any kind.

He said: "On mass buying and the price issue, I really hope that retailers will continue to be reasonable. I certainly wouldn't want to see profiteering of any kind."

He added: "As I said before, we've got good supply chains farm to fork - there's no reason for the shops really to be empty.

"Please be reasonable, please be reasonable in your shopping, be considerate and thoughtful for others as you do it".

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