Through Lea Giandomenico
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Since this Tuesday, February 15, 2022, exit the sale of self-tests in supermarkets. This exceptional measure, in force since December 29, 2021had made disgruntled pharmacists.
It had been recorded until January 31, when the Omicron variant caused an upsurge in Covid cases. Then extended until February 15.
“We regret this decision”
For brands, stopping sales on the shelves is bad news. And the Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD) “regrets this decision not to extend the sale of self-tests, at a time when the health situation nevertheless continues to justify being able to make them accessible in large numbers”.
“We are still awaiting a decision on the possibility to dispose of existing stocks in the coming weeks“, explains the FCD to the Sunday newspaper.
For Gilles Bonnefond, former spokesperson for the Union of Community Pharmacists, “supermarkets have had plenty of time to sell their stocks, with this respite of 15 additional days”.
“We do not instrumentalize the Covid to consume more”
The pharmacists had blasted this adlast December, recalling the disappearance of their role as advisors for customers, with this self-service sale.
“Self-tests should not be confused with screening tests, because they do not allow tracing and screening”, recalled the pharmacists’ unions in a joint press release with the Order of Pharmacists.
Gilles Bonnefond goes further: “These sales were inappropriate, the supermarkets used the Covid to carry out commercial operations and encourage people to consume, that was not normal. »
Full box for supermarket sales
And the sale of home tests has encountered a real success. As soon as this derogatory authorization for the sale of self-tests in supermarkets was announced, “the brands rushed to be the first to offer them”, as we indicated in a previous article.
Carrefour in particular, indicated to sell its tests “at cost”. The brand offered the box of five tests at 9.75 euros, or 1.95 euros per test, against 4 to 5 euros in pharmacies. A real gain for consumers.
And the figures attest to it, the latter rushed into these purchases. Between December 28 and January 16, nearly 17 million tests were sold in supermarkets, according to Nielsen figures reported by The JDD.
Lower prices in pharmacies
Also, a price reduction was announced by stopped at Official newspaper this Saturday, February 12, 2022.
The Union of Community Pharmacists’ Unions has also indicated this new pricing in place from this Tuesday: “classic” self-tests will be sold for 3.35 euros whether or not they are covered.
The self-tests adapted for children will be sold for 4.10 euros, for against 5.20 euros previously. A drop of about 20 to 35% compared to the price before.
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