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WH Smith to review hospital shop prices after outcry WH Smith apologises after outcry over hospital shop prices
(about 17 hours later)
WH Smith is reviewing the prices of toiletries for sale in hospitals as it emerged that tubes of Colgate toothpaste were being sold for £7.99. WH Smith has apologised after a computer error resulted in some toiletries in hospital shops being sold at almost eight times the high street price.
The newsagent has outlets at 129 hospitals across the country and, according to the Telegraph, nappies, mouthwash and other essentials were also heavily marked up in price. The newsagent said it was conducting a review after it emerged that Colgate toothpaste was being sold for £7.99 in its hospital kiosks. It has outlets in 129 hospitals across the UK where, according to reports, other essentials including nappies and mouthwash were also heavily marked up in price.
Simon Stevens, the head of the NHS, told the paper: “These retailers should think again about jacked-up prices which affect poorly patients, their family visitors and hardworking hospital staff.” On Saturday, the retailer said it had reviewed pricing across its stores and found that a computer glitch on a certain line of products had led to the price hike in hospitals.
At a WH Smith outlet at Pinderfields Hospital, part of Mid Yorkshire hospital trust, a 75g tube of Colgate toothpaste was on sale for £7.99, when the same product costs 99p in Superdrug and £1 in Sainsbury’s. A spokesman said: “We would like to apologise to our customers for a small number of recent pricing errors in our system. The errors have now been rectified and the extra profits from these sales will be donated to charity.”
Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “When people are unwell and in hospital, and therefore unable to go elsewhere with any ease, they should be able to expect retailers not to exploit their situation for profit.” Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, told the Telegraph: “When people are unwell and in hospital, and therefore unable to go elsewhere with any ease, they should be able to expect retailers not to exploit their situation for profit.”
A WH Smith spokesman told the Telegraph: “There is a small number of ranges like toiletries which we stock in hospitals for customers’ convenience which are not sold in our high street stores. Despite having relatively low sales of these products we aim to set our prices as competitively as possible. WH Smith said it aimed to be competitive with other high-street retailers. “Prices in our hospital stores are the same as our high-street stores,” the spokesman said.
“We are currently reviewing the prices of all such items to ensure they comply with this policy and will take the appropriate action where they do not.” At a WH Smith outlet at Pinderfields hospital, part of Mid Yorkshire hospital trust, a 75g tube of Colgate toothpaste was on sale for £7.99, when the same product could be bought for about £1 in Superdrug or Sainsbury’s.
Consumer affairsConsumer affairs
Shops and shoppingShops and shopping
WH SmithWH Smith
Retail industryRetail industry
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