For years now, I have been purchasing pharmaceutical drugs and medicines in Agartala, my hometown, and have been availing of a 5% discount at my regular retail outlet. I had also pay delivery charge. I used to consider this 5% discount the norm, because that is what I had been brainwashed into believing.
While in Delhi recently, I discovered that the retail medical outlets there offer customers a 20% discount without even being asked. Further, home delivery is free of cost.
Today, I had occasion to purchase medicine at a new retail store at Agartala, which I had not patronized before. This outlet offered me a 15 % discount, vis-à-vis 5% at the established retailers that I had been frequenting.
I made enquiries with friends at the Metropolitan and other suburban cities outside Tripura. Across almost all of these cities, the discount norm on medical purchases appears to be 20%, In some places, the figure was even higher. The Online Medical suppliers like NetMaid, 1 MG, Phrameasy, the discount is more than 25 % .
So, the question arises: why are customers being ripped off? Who is going to address this situation? Who is going to rein in what looks like the unholy practice of the established retailers?
In the past, I have written a number of letters to various government authorities, bringing their attention to issues of immorality, lack of ethics and outright dishonesty, and seeking justice. So far, I could not feel that my concern has been addressed to.
However, on this issue also, I am writing to yourself in the fond hope that you may like to ponder over the issue..
My social circle in Agartala is replete with distinguished, responsible, educated and highly placed friends,
I will also leave it to them to take up this cudgel and intimate the concerned government authorities of the malpractices of medical retail outlets!
Before writing this this letter, I made discreet enquiries with one of my trusted retailers. He admitted that with most pharmaceutical drugs and medicines, retailers’ profit margin is not less than 40%.
As far as passing on some part of that margin to customers as discounts is concerned, it is not a matter of compulsion for retailers, and there is no violation of any law in not offering such discounts. The matter is up to the retailers’ discretion, and obviously they would base their decisions on whether to give discounts, and if so how much, on business/ commercial merits or demerits. And further, if they are selling at the MRP, GST is not applicable.
It is my understanding that some drug manufacturers offer discount incentives not just for parties in the supply chain down to the retailer, but also for end retail customers.
If so, it is necessary to find out to what extent customers are being allowed to avail of those discounts and to what extent retailers are shorting customers.
What I feel is required is an effort to get official retailer representatives to a negotiating table to discuss discounts and to work out a formula for handling discounts. While retailers have the freedom to determine whether or not to pass on part of their supply-chain margins and discounts to customers, they should play fair with discounts intended for end customers.
This matter can be handled at Block Development Officer level. Or at even more lower level. Sub-divisional Magistrates, who stay busy with myriad administrative activities, need not be involved unless in the event of failures at the lower level negotiating tables.
At the end of the day, what is important is that retail customers—who so often have to struggle to raise money for continued medication or for more expensive life-saving medication— they should not be taken on a ride.
