Ignore big name brands
Here’s how to find cheaper alternatives for pills and drugs that do the same job.
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Off-the-shelf medication
When you’ve got a cold, you’ll ask for Lemsip. When you’ve got a headache, you’ll ask for Nurofen. When you’ve got a hangover, you’ll ask for a Berocca.
Yes they cost more than own brand, but surely that’s because they’re better at making you feel better?
Well, it turns out there’s little or no difference between many similar medications. In truth you’re usually paying over the odds for name recognition. And this isn’t the only time you might be paying more than you need on medication and prescriptions.
To help you make a decision that’s good for your wallet as well as your health, I’ve taken a look at some of the ways you spend too much on medications and how to save some cash.
Branded medicine is one of the biggest rip-offs we fall for. The vast bulk of the time the ingredients used to make the tablet, cream or sachet are pretty much the same as those cheaper alternatives on the shelf below.
There might be slight variations, but it’s unlikely they are enough to make a difference to your ailment.
You might also have to hunt for these cheaper options, generally hidden on lower shelves with the big brands at eyeline and easy to grab.
How much can you save?
Here are a few examples of the price difference I found:
Lemsip vs own brand cold medicine
In Boots a pack of 10 Lemsip Max sachets will set you back £5.70. The own-brand alternative is just £3.49, saving you £2.21. The ingredients are almost exactly the same. And they’re cheaper again buying the own-brand options in supermarkets.
Nurofen vs own brand ibuprofen
Worse is ibuprofen. Standard Nurofen costs £2 for 16 tablets in Boots. The own-brand version is £1.69. But better still is the non-branded value pack at just 55p. And they all contain the same simple ingredient: 200g of Ibuprofen.
The only difference is likely to be in the coating, which won’t make a difference to the effectiveness of the pain relief.
Berocca vs own brand effervescent
Berocca meanwhile costs £5.90 for 15 tablets. The Boots own brand equivalent of the effervescent multivitamin is £1.99 for 20 tablets. That’s 10p per tablet rather than 39p for pretty much the same thing. In fact since the Boots tablets are bigger you actually get slightly higher doses of each vitamin.
Watch this video where I share how to see if items are the same or similar
Exact same products, different packaging
You can even find some products which are exactly the same! In my mini-investigation (i.e. trying to subtly take photos of packaging in Boots) I found an example where the tablets in different packaging were the very same.
Both Panadol Extra Advance and Panadol Period Pain are the same product. They have literally just been put in different coloured packs (you’ve guessed, it’s pink for the period painkiller).
The way to tell is to look for the product line code. This is the letters PL followed by some numbers. If the code is identical then so is the medication.
Now, these two Panadol items should therefore cost the same, right? Well there’s a 10p difference at Boots (surprisingly it’s the one aimed at women which is cheaper). Ok not much money but you get the idea.
And bigger savings are likely to be found when comparing own brand versions of meds in different shops. It’s possible that you might find the exact same formulation at a far lower price.
When I looked a few years ago, I also found that the Boots, Tesco and Asda cold and flu items had exactly the same PL number but at varying costs. So exactly the same item made in the same factory!
I think it also raises a question as to whether these targeted meds are actually anything other than marketing. You could well be better off with the standard version.
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Will a prescription be better or worse?
Hopefully your GP won’t prescribe you standard, everyday items like paracetamol that you can buy for less direct from the shop, but it’s worth double checking. Things like eyedrops, steroid creams and more might cost less without a prescription. A pharmacist will let you know if you’re not sure.
However some items will be cheaper if you can get it prescribed, so if there’s something you’re taking regularly do ask your GP if they’ll do this. And don’t forget prescription subscriptions that can work out cheaper too.
And of course, if you’re outside of England, under 18 or over 60, then you won’t pay for any prescriptions, so see if that’s an option for what you need.
The same goes if you are prescribed anything privately. If your GP will fill out a prescription from them instead, it’ll dramatically cut what you pay.
Spot on article Andy. The best buy for us is definitely PPC. My wife has an ‘ongoing condition’ and it’s really worth buying a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). You can also get “unlimited” prescriptions… & it saves you a lot of money.
Marketing logo brands vs own brands is a great way to test your buying skills. Our eyes general lit 🔥 up by logo though the alternative is cheaper.
The “targeted” painkillers are purely marketing. There was a BBC report on this a while back.
Also – Morrisons MAX strength cold/flu sachets are £2 for 10. They’re the cheapest Lemsip alternatives I’ve found and work just as well.
If in doubt, just look at the active ingredient, name and % on the branded item, and compare with the unbranded one.
5 Lemsip £1 in poundland so lemsip could be cheaper
Oh that’s a good spot!
Totally agree with this and your last point-a responsible GP would tell you it is cheaper to buy over the counter than prescription if that’s the case. Another group entitled to free prescriptions is women whilst pregnant up the point of the child turning one year old so get stocked up on any repeat medication like I did on inhalers and time your dental appointments accordingly to get the most free ones you can during this period!
Good thinking on stockpiling Hollie!
Provided they know it can be bought OTC, talking from experience. This includes GPs & consultants, however the pharmacist should always advise if cheaper OTC.