29 Feb 2004 | Jay said...

That's amazing. Did you find somebody to unlock the case so you could buy some Advil?

29 Feb 2004 | JF said...

Nope, I just didn't give them my business. Went to CVS.

29 Feb 2004 | Yvonne said...

Looks like it's local.

In New Mexico, Albertson's looks up all pseudoephedrine, unless it's mixed (Advil Cold & Sinus et al). Trying to prevent meth labs from having easy access.

29 Feb 2004 | Michael Bernstein said...

Hmm, at the Walgreens here in Las Vegas, the drugs they keep locked up (or in some stores, behind the counter) are the OTC cold-remedies (both brands and generics) that kids are shoplifting to get buzzed off of.

Perhaps in your area only the brand names are being shoplifted?

29 Feb 2004 | ~bc said...

Unbelievable. They're going to hear from those companies. Even if its just one location.

29 Feb 2004 | S.A. Miller said...

I have serveral Walgreens near my house, and I have never seen his before.

In New Mexico, Albertson's locks up all pseudoephedrine, unless it's mixed (Advil Cold & Sinus et al). Trying to prevent meth labs from having easy access.

I don't understand, why wouldn't the store brand be locked up as well then?

01 Mar 2004 | MM said...

Must be that their brand is not of the same quality to require safe keeping. Dumb!

01 Mar 2004 | pb said...

Get a regular digital camera! These phone cams are worse than bad.

01 Mar 2004 | Ummm said...

I agree it's dumb and sleazy, but why wouldn't you want generic anyway?

01 Mar 2004 | Michael Spina said...

Get a regular digital camera! These phone cams are worse than bad.

Agreed on the quality, but without a camera phone it's doubtful there would have been a picture at all.

01 Mar 2004 | Darrel said...

I'm with Ummm... ;o)

01 Mar 2004 | Paul said...

I'd suspect (and hope) that that's due to shoplifting. Was that a Walgreens downtown, JF?

01 Mar 2004 | JF said...

It was the Walgreens on Wood and Milwaukee.

01 Mar 2004 | Paul said...

In that case, I stand by my original guess. But still, that's really quite strange.

01 Mar 2004 | Will said...

No, but at Wal-mart I saw an employee removing all the Target ads from all the Sunday newspapers.

01 Mar 2004 | Benjy said...

I've been in a number of Chicago-area Walgreens lately and I've never seen a case like that for Tylenol, Advil, etc.! I've seen some of them lock up the nocotine gum and the bigger boxes of Claritin but never plain old pain medicine.

I've also seen stickers on some of the pricier meds like Claritin and Sudifed saying that they were from Walgreens and to call an 800 number if bought elsewhere. What, are people shoplifting them and selling them on ebay or something?

01 Mar 2004 | jane said...

In San Francisco, Walgreens doesn't lock up any of the over-the-counter stuff; it's all together on the shelves, generic labels placed next to brand names (presumably so you'll notice that the Wal-profen is a dollar cheaper than the same size bottle of Advil).

01 Mar 2004 | but that's just me said...

And I was upset that where I live the local Walgreens only locks up the hard stuff, like cocaine and heroine. Now they're even locking up the name brand headache remedies, eh? How in the world are today's children supposed to get high?

There was absolutely no point to that. I just thought it would be funny in some ridiculous way, but I doubt it was.

Out of curiosity, pb, do you carry a full-fledged digital camera with you to the local drugstore? Might as well drag along a tri-pod while you're at it.

01 Mar 2004 | Sarah said...

Walgreens in SC locks up Advil, Tylenol, Crest White Strips, Nicorete Gum, EPT (and other) pregnancy tests, Kodak disposable cameras, and - I've only seen this once - charcoal. I'm not sure if they lock them up because they're the "expensive" sundries people could easily steal and return for cash, or if it's because of brand favoritism like you suggest.

In this case, I'm leaning towards favoritism.

02 Mar 2004 | Quentin said...

Did you ask an employee why those brands were locked up, and not the generic brand?

02 Mar 2004 | The Old Man said...

Stores in Northbrook, Il, Bannockburn, Il and Deerfield, Il (WAGs World HQs)- all products: Brand names and private label - displayed together - no lock and key -- BUT, strongly support your patronage of CVS!!!

02 Mar 2004 | carrie said...

I noticed the same thing at the Walgreen's on Irving and Western! (Thought I was being cynical, but its yet ANOTHER conspiracy!)

03 Mar 2004 | Yvonne said...

to S.A. Miller

Albertson's locks up the store brand of pseudoephedrine also. Any "straight" pseudoephedrine, meaning not mixed with acetominophen or ibuprofen.

At Walgreen's, everything is out in the open, at least for now.

03 Mar 2004 | S.A. Miller said...

Yvonne, Thanks!

03 Mar 2004 | sarcon said...

I'm guessing it's a shoplifting issue. It isn't like this at the Walgreens at Lawrence & Western.

11 Mar 2004 | SteveP said...

As several of your posters have guessed it is a shoplifting issue. As a manger of a local Walgreens (Richmond, Va), I can assure you it has nothing to do with making Walgreens brands more readily accessible and increasing sales. We strive to provide many alternatives to our brands and vise-versa, yet the brand names seem to have a higher theft potential probably for the same reason many customers prefer to purchase them. As far as the difference between brand names and the WG brands there is virtually no difference. Our brands are required to have the same ingredient, same amount, and the same ability to enter your system when taken. Heck! They are probably made by the same company, just packaged in Walgreens packaging. I am by no-means a "company-man", but I do take pride in the fact we deliver high quality merchandise (including OTC and prescription meds) at a reasonable cost. Believe me, when a person on a fixed income (whether elderly, disabled, or the working poor) comes in to shop they do compare prices and quality and invariably choose the WG brands. I guess we have been fortunate at my store the only thing we have to "lock-up" so far is the Coricidin and the Benzedrex inhalers, though at some in my area they really have to lock up everthing! Condoms, baby formula, deodorant, Sudaphed and Walphed, etc. When shoplifted the go for .50 each or 3 for a buck! Amazing!!!

13 Mar 2004 | Linda Host said...

I am not at all surprised. I hate trading at Walgreens. Tonight was the last straw for me.

When they put my local pharamicist out of business I wasn't given a choice on where I wanted my prescriptions tranferred.

However, after tonight I will be finding the nearest Osco, CVS, whatever............they have messed up my prescriptions more then once and today was the last time!

19 Mar 2004 | Paul said...

Hello , Walgreens is a corporate monoply that does not care
about the neighborhood or people that it intends to invade. and now in our town , PA. The company has its site in a residental area , and they are currently working with attorny's and contractors to changing a 1977 court ruling to change certian zoning laws that will allow them to build on residental (zoned) land , where they are not wanted nor needed. Our town of
60,000 is against this applicated to build. These commity hearings and legal moves are making the local news as well as some tv news spots. If this has happen to Your town and neighborhood please write back and advise. any litagation or information that maybe helpful in stoping the selling out of residental land to corporate America would be apprericated.
Thank You.

23 Mar 2004 | Kelli said...

The reasoning behind this is due to shoplifting. Companies not just Walgreens take these types of steps to control shoplifting in stores. Shoplifters will go for the name brands before the store brand. If Walgreens does not try this type of thing in their stores and shoplifters continue to break the law and get away with it, the prices of these products increase due to the loss in the stores. So maybe we should be happy that they lock them up and that they are available, even if we have to go an extra step and ask for it. At least the products aren't missing and cost more for us when we need them.....

23 Mar 2004 | Kelli said...

The reasoning behind this is due to shoplifting. Companies not just Walgreens take these types of steps to control shoplifting in stores. Shoplifters will go for the name brands before the store brand. If Walgreens does not try this type of thing in their stores and shoplifters continue to break the law and get away with it, the prices of these products increase due to the loss in the stores. So maybe we should be happy that they lock them up and that they are available, even if we have to go an extra step and ask for it. At least the products aren't missing and cost more for us when we need them.....

23 Mar 2004 | Ron said...

Most poeple don't realize there is a slotting fee paid to retailers by manufacturers to have their product displayed. Yes, your local grocery store receives thousands a month to allow product to have the best spots in the store. Perhaps the compaines you mentioned would not come up with the money for a good spot. Recently our HMO changed from Walgreens to OSCO. I don't have a choice. OSCO is like operating in the dark ages. No e-mail capabilities.

24 Mar 2004 | pauline said...

I work at a walgreens, we lock up some products because they get ripped off, which becomes a loss. usually the brand name is ripped off because it can be resold to others, not just people, but other stores will buy it for a lot less then Bayer sells it to the retailer for.

24 Mar 2004 | Mr Natural said...

I have been in many Walgreens in many cities, in many states and have NEVER seen this. What city did this occur?

25 Mar 2004 | liam donaldson said...

I work for walgreens and theft is a major problem. Products that are identified as being high-theft are removed off shelf after all other options fail. The lesser of two evils is having it in stock and locked up than not having it at all because all have been stolen. For the most part, these are pro shoplifting rings that steal the merchandise "to order" so they can be resold elsewhere. Obviously, it would be difficult to sell a store brand at a site other than the store in question and we certainly aren't stealing from ourselves to re-stock in a different wag. Beware of "too good to be true" prices on these items at flea markets and other places.

02 Feb 2005 | online pharmacy said...

I really appreciate blogs like this one becuase it is insightful and helps me communicate with others.
thanks.also, that guy billyz, I really need to talk to you about that cure you mentioned.