Superdrug has lowered the price of emergency contraception, following in the footsteps of its rival high-street pharmacy, Boots, which revealed it had reduced its price on Thursday.
Now, shoppers can purchase Ezinelle and Levonorgestrel for £9.99 in Superdrug, which was previously charging £13.49 for the pill.
The price drop means Superdrug is now selling emergency contraception at the lowest price available at any high street pharmacy chain; Boots is charging £10.
Superdrug was the first high street retailer to launch a generic emergency hormonal contraceptive pill in June 2017.
The price changes at both pharmacies come six years after the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) launched a campaign for more affordable and accessible contraception.
In 2021, Boots faced a backlash when it included its emergency contraception in its Black Friday sale, which meant its basic contraception was available to purchase for £8.
On social media, users criticised the discount, claiming that it suggested a “significant mark-up imposed on essential medication”.
In light of the news that Boots had dropped its prices, Clare Murphy, chief executive of BPAS added that the organisation is “delighted” the company “doing the right thing by women and providing emergency contraception at a significantly more affordable price”.
Murphy added: “This essential medication can give women a second-chance at avoiding unplanned pregnancy, yet the high-cost and clinically unnecessary requirement for a mandatory consultation can act as barriers that prevent women accessing emergency contraception when needed.
“Now that the price has been reduced, we want to see emergency contraception taken out from behind the pharmacy counter and placed directly on the shelves where it belongs.”
