Superdrug will start selling a single lateral flow test for £1.99 and a five-pack for £9.79, a spokesperson told C+D today (February 23).
Meanwhile, Lloydspharmacy will start offering a single lateral flow test for “a reduced price of £1.99” when picked up in-pharmacy, a spokesperson told C+D.
Read more: Boots sells lateral flow tests for £5.99 each as free testing set to end
Lloydspharmacy will continue to offer five lateral flow test kits for £15 via its website, the spokesperson added.
Both multiples shared the pricing of their lateral flow test kits shortly after Boots announced it would offer a single test at £5.99 and a pack of four for £17 via its website.
It follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on Monday (February 21) that free “symptomatic and asymptomatic testing” will end for the general public from April 1.
Establishing the “private market in testing”
In its Living with COVID-19 strategy published on Monday (February 21), the government wrote that it is “working with retailers and pharmacies to help establish the private market in testing”.
However, a Well Pharmacy spokesperson told C+D today that it has not yet made a decision regarding the provision of lateral flow tests. C+D has also approached Rowlands for comment.
Read more: Lateral flow test chaos: ‘Tearful’ pharmacy customers, 16-digit code ‘madness’ and patient abuse
Taking to Twitter, pharmacist and Labour MP for Coventry North West Taiwo Owatemi – who also sits on the All-Party Pharmacy Group committee – lambasted the government’s decision to scrap free testing for most of the public, labelling the move a “Tory Testing Tax”.
The government's decision to scrap free lateral flow and PCR tests is leading to a Tory Testing Tax, with the least well off left most at risk. This simply isn't right. pic.twitter.com/GxDqZOtbLz
— Taiwo Owatemi (@TaiwoOwatemi) February 23, 2022
The government will, however, continue to provide “free symptomatic tests to those at the highest risk from COVID-19”, Mr Johnson specified on Monday.
Association of Independent Multiple pharmacies (AIMp) CEO Leyla Hannbeck told the BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast programme this morning that, following the government’s announcement on free testing, people have been increasingly coming to pharmacies asking for the tests.
Recalling the increased demand for tests over the Christmas period, she said there is “always that worry about stock” but also “patients’ frustration being landed on our teams”.
