Buying drugs at the chemist

I bought a few things a few days ago at the chemist a new lady in there served me and I paid for all of them. When I checked at home I found that a packet of 10 paracetamol cost€4.11, which I thought was rather expensive. I took them back for a refund or exchange for cheaper version. A different lady that I had not seen before asked when I had bought them then told me “No, she would not as soon as they leave the chemist shop they can’t be returned. She said it’s Spanish law”. Is this correct or was I being taken for a gullible British idiot customer?

Unfortunately paracetamol can vary in price enormously.
Even asking for the cheapest version in some farmacias can be really expensive.
I keep my packet and pay just over for a euro for 40 650mg strength. , but you can also buy 500/600/1000 mg and you can also pay by size of tablets.
The brand I buy are the size of horse pills, but they do the trick. But I can remember a couple of farmacias in Quesada telling me I couldn’t buy any paracetamol for under 5€. They obviously make more money by selling expensive brands.

You cannot take medicines back as you could have tampered with them. It makes sense. You used to be able to buy 1mg paracetamol but now you need a prescription for that strength. I was also quoted about 4 euros for 10 but asked for a non Generic? Is that the word and got more for less euros. I've since chatted nicely and got the 1mg pack with about 30 in The pack for around 2.50 and promising not to kill myself. Sometimes if you know the staff they can be obliging.

Paracetamol isn't cheap here like UK.
And any drug taken obviously can't be returned for obvious reasons

We get friends to bring paracetamol and ibuprofen with them when they visit
Always got a large supply in the bathroom

I went to chemist near Aldi and asked the price, you are right 10 for €4, I said no thanks, then went to chemist near carrafours and got 40 for €2.50

Thanks for all your replies. In future I will be checking the prices before I buy.

Amazingly, the lower doses can cost more than the higher ones.
Bought 400mg Ibuprofen and she said that was €4.30 for 20 tablets. She then pointed out the 600mg were only €2.30 for 30 tablets.

Same with Paracetamol. A pack of 20 x 500mg were just over 4 euro but they were branded. The 1g box of 40 was only €2.30 again. Bought the 1g and now cut them in half so got 80 x 500mg ones.

Must be the difference between branded and unbranded like in UK where Neurofen can cost 4 quid but a simple supermarket brand is 39p
.

I use this chemist regularly for my prescriptions etc, but had not seen either of these women there before. The first one just put the box on the counter with my other things and said “are these the ones you want?”. Unfortunately I did not have my glasses on and could not quite make out what was on the box. I have learnt my lesson to take my glasses and ask the price and not be taken for an easy touch.

sarnia cherie wrote:I use this chemist regularly for my prescriptions etc, but had not seen either of these women there before. The first one just put the box on the counter with my other things and said “are these the ones you want?”. Unfortunately I did not have my glasses on and could not quite make out what was on the box. I have learnt my lesson to take my glasses and ask the price and not be taken for an easy touch.

How were you taken for an easy touch?

You say the lady asked you if they were the ones you wanted!!!

Presumably you said "yes".

Blingle, not being able to see the box clearly I took it that that’s what I wanted. By easy touch I meant that I was sold the dearer ones and not offered the cheaper ones if there were any. Lesson learned.