I have always been to the Right on economics even though I grew up in a very Red South Wales and a very Left family.
I always believed that choice should come first in economic policy which is why I never voted Labour back then. Mind you I wasnt into monetarism so didnt join the Thatcher bandwagon either.
The free market is a ‘dirty term’ after the likes of Lehman Brothers and various other financial institutions got greedy.
This week though the real free market is coming into play as the Swedish government has sold off 465 of its 900 state run chemist shops ‘Apoteket‘. There have been no private chemists since 1971 in Sweden. Four Swedish companies have bought the Chemists that have been sold off and they will appear under different names. Medstop was the one inaugurated by Swedish Health Minister Göran Hägglund this week.
I think its great, I now have choice wheras before I didnt. Sure I could go to a different Apoteket store but they were still Apoteket. If I am not happy with the level of service in one ‘chemist chain’ I can try the other guys! Thats the free market, thats capitalism thats why it works.
It should also lead to healthy competition on the price front!
Of course there needs to be rules. Chemists and those who staff them should be fully qualified when advising on which non-prescription drugs to use. Also I am a believer that prescription charges should be ‘means tested’. I work, earn decent money and can afford medicines. If I was unemployed, or a single mum I might struggle so there should be means tested prescriptions.
I still find it highly amusing and downright annoying though that the Swedish Government can sell off the Chemists but is still terrified of selling off Systembolaget, the off licence!
What can do more damage, drugs or booze….?
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hooray – a very inspired move.
I recall one terrible Saturday afternoon a year or two ago when, gripped with a hangover, I tried to buy aspirin (that well known dangerous drug). Every pharmacist in the town was closed, which was utterly ridiculous. Clearly, as ever in a monopoly, the standards of service had been set according to the convenience of the provider rather than the wishes of the customer.
I think its a great move by the Alliance Government and definitely not one we would have seen under the dinosaurs of the Social Democrats.
Apoteket is a bit like ‘On Off’ for me. I remember having a sore throat and I asked the assistant which brand was the best and she couldnt advise me yet there was a 100 SEK difference between the two I pointed out.
Again it may have been the fault of the local Apoteket rather than Apoteket as a whole but still, I never go there as its not the first time they have been like that.
Ahh the free market… since non-prescription drugs was allowed to be sold in normal supermarkets (and the likes) as of November 1 2009 prices have gone up between 8 and 39 (!!) % for the most popular brands.
I would be interested to see evidence of that, not saying you are misleading us just keen to read that.
I expect with the 4 new Chemist chains opening up, they will want to compete with the convenience of the supermarkets so game on I say.
Are you suggesting a Communist era price tariff fixing Herr Von Oben?
All Im saying is: free market = free pricing…
http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/priserna-hojdes-vid-avreglering-1.1028652
Also:
http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/sma-prisskillnader-pa-medicin-1.1029365
The article shows that Supermarket Willys do sell medicine at 5% lower prices (after the above mentioned price increase!)compared to the different Apoteket-chains that are in the market. Swedens leading supermarket chain ICA (famous for re-packaging old meat and selling it as new, so no surprise there that they want to sell medicine…) promises to have the same prices as the Apoteket. Fair enough.
So, yes it is much easier to get hold of the big brand drugs…but it comes with a price.
Versace has David Beckham in the adverts, Willys has Nathan Paulse say no more
You are right, but I guess what cost convenience. I have a COOP opposite my flat and they are more expensive than Ica in Årsta Torg but thats a ten minute walk. I use ICA for my main shop but odds and sods its COOP, the increase in price is how I value the 20 mins I guess.
If I was skint then I would walk to the cheapest shop.
What price convenience.
interesting I wasn’t aware of this. I only know one farmacy in the center of Stockholm, close to the Tourist Office, and this one is open on Sundays and until rather late as far as I remember. I kept this one in mind because of the fact that it’s open on Sundays.. so what was that?
Well it was Apoteket.
Thats a good one in fairness as its open 24 hours a day!
A nice little site you’ve got going over here!
They don’t need to sell off Systembolaget, just have a few shops where they sell some wine on Sundays and in the evening. Just a few, and the wine can even be pricey to discourage the alcoholics. Or maybe just for foreigners like us who can “control” their drinking!
Or maybe I’ll just start a wine cellar.
A wine cellar in Sweden….actually I do have storage space in the basement. I was amazed when I bought my flat how much storage space they gave me as part of the deal!
I like your blog too Paddy and have linked to it from the Swedish Resources page and even gave you bit of a plug this morning:
http://www.letmetellyouaboutsweden.com/paddy-k-swedish-extravaganza/