PANORAMA

Berlin  -  Since the beginning of the year, several supermarket chains in the USA give away antibiotics to their customers. This is supposed to help the consumers in economically hard times, the chain „Stop & Shop“ that offers 36 generics for free advertises, for instance. The offer will be going until the end of March and is advertised in TV spots and with flyers.

As the provider of fresh, wholesome foods that help our customers stay healthy, we feel it is equally important to offer these free antibiotics to fight illness, a company's spokeswoman explained.

Also other supermarket chains jumped on the bandwagon: Giant Food offers an identical programme, just as the chains Wegmans and ShopRite. Among the free antibiotics, there are Amoxicilline, Ampicilline, Bacitracine, Cephalexine, Ciprofloxacin, Cotrimoxazol, Doxycyclin, Erythromycin, Penicillin V und Tetracyclin.

This offer refers to two-weeks-packages, but can only be prolonged with a new prescription. The antibiotics are just the most recent drug bargain which helps the chains to guide customers to their stores. Since the supermarket chain Wal-Mart is dispensing several generics for four US dollars, dumping prices are common. The supermarket and pharmacy chain Jewel-Osco even gives out shopping vouchers for handed-in prescriptions.

Free antibiotics were used for the first time two years ago by the chain Publix in order to increase customer frequency. Critics reproach the corporations with dispensing overage products that actually should not be prescribed any more. Moreover, significant extra charges are supposed to be raised for other products.

Patrick Hollstein, Fri, Februay 06, 2009 12:06pm CET