We've seen the growing incidence of #banking deserts (where towns have no bank branches at all), now as #Boots will close around 300 #pharmacies in the UK in a bid to 'optimise' locations, the Q. is how will this impact local communities?
Positively, it may remove a competitor from local (and regional) pharmacies allowing them to capture more provision of #medicines & associated products, but;
negatively, where Boots has already driven out the competition, will we see new pharma-deserts?
I love the principle they have in France concerning bakeries. Bread is an indispensible staple in French cuisine and they take it's availability very seriously. If you own a bakery (most in France are run by owner/bakers), and you wish to retire or leave the trade, you cannot simply close up, you are obliged to sell the business on to someone else who wants to use it as bakery so that it's customer base is not inconvenienced by not have access to the indispensable freshly baked baguette morning, noon and night!
They have similar rules about pharmacies - you may not simply decide to open a pharmacy wherever you like. You need to get authorization and you won't get it if you are in close competition with an existing pharmacy. Likewise there are rules about closing down a pharmacy so in France, Boots would have a real fight on their hands with civil servants who have the absolute power to say no. Quite right too!
@Paulos_the_fog @ChrisMayLA6 Pharmacies are (or were) regulated in the UK, too: it's considered an essential part of the first line health service, like GP surgeries, the locations of which are also controlled to prevent deserts with no access from forming. (Source: I used to be a pharmacist.)
@cstross @Paulos_the_fog @ChrisMayLA6 They even have rules about when bakers can take holidays in Paris, to stop them all taking all of July/August off at the same time.
Will have to check on the local Boots, but my small town has 3 Pharmacies (and as of covid, no banks, my closest branch is 15mile/90min by public transport)
I think that applies throughout France. However, the month of August used to be hell when I lived in Orléans, even so!
Yes but the cretinous tory cünts who have been running the country for the last 14 years or so, just love getting rid of 'red-tape' on the basis that "the market runs everything better" which is OK if you pay businesses like pharmacies enough to make them viable but they are dependent on govt for their earnings and the tory filth never will pay them enough!
thanks, very helpful context (of which I was unaware)
France has a law on the purity of bread: nothing other than flour, yeast, salt and water may go into French bread, by law! This is why is doesn't keep very well (no preservatives, or moisteners permitted) and why it is utterly delicious!
The Germans too have a purity law but theirs concerns not bread, but beer! Nothing but malted grains, hops, yeast and water may go into German beer, also by law!
I guess that says something about priorities in the countries in question!
@Paulos_the_fog @ChrisMayLA6
I love the principle they have in France of revolting and decapitating greedy exploitative bastards.