Buying Boots VG Issues

[pxr5]

Hello all,

I was in town earlier and popped into Boots to get some Glycerin for mixing with. You probably know the stuff, in 200ml glass bottles for 99p. Anyway, they had 5 bottles on the shelf, so I put them all in my basket. At the checkout was where the problems started. As this is a medicine the lady there questioned why I wanted so much at once. I said straight away it was for making eliquid, which was probably a mistake. She totally ignored me, and my wife said it was for sore throats and that we never went to town normally and wanted to stock up, probably the right thing to say. Anyway she went off to talk to a pharmacist, and came back to reconfirm why we wanted so much for. I let my wife do the talking this time and she just reiterated what she'd already said. Off the lady went again to discuss with the pharmacist and she eventually relented and sold us the 5 bottles. She said they have to be careful when selling medicines like this.

Quite an odd experience really. I understand the medicinal checks they need to do, but surely Glycerin is totally safe, even with gallons of the stuff. What would they do if I wanted to buy. say, a couple of pounds of bicarb (which I do actually, but from ebay)? The lesson here I suppose is to stick with online sellers, but I do like the Boots VG for mixing with - and it is so cheap.

Anyone else had issues buying VG from Boots like this and what is the most you've managed to buy at once?

[ibalders]

Strange as does it really matter to them what it is going to be used for? They are either making a sale or not, what a very strange attitude some jobs worth's have.

[domesticextremist]

I suppose it could be converted to nitroglycerine*, though you'd have to be a total numbnuts terrorist to go get it at Boots when there are so many places selling it in bulk, for cheap online with no questions asked.

The War of Terror has a lot to answer for.

* good luck not blowing yourself to smithereens trying

[TJ]

Far easier to order it on-line and have it delivered to the local store for pick up, never done it myself as don't use that one but know others that do this instead of trying to barter with a cashier.

[solac77]

It's off the shelf f'ing jobs worth really. I could understand if it actually had any medicinal value but it just thicker water really. Grrrrrrr.

[Postmodern Smoking]

I can remember as a vendor buying in large quantities, from a reputable chemical supplier, and having to declare why I needed glycerine. (There wasn't any issue when it was explained that it was for e-liquid ... a legitimate use).

I think that the issues experienced may be for the reasons domesticextremist gave above, combined with jobsworth employees.

[buggritt]

Do you honestly think this is a jobsworth situation? Why would she bother? They have obviously been told to query a certain amount of some purchases. A simple question as to why she wanted to know would have given you a clue. I've never been asked, six bottles was my last purchase. Maybe something has changed.

[yourgurnard]

Ha! I had this sorta attitude a while back; I took 4 bottles off of the shelf & mentioned to the cashier that They might want to re-stock as I'd just taken the last on display.
'What are You gonna use all this for?' She snaps suspiciously...
'Oh for making vaping liquid,' replies Me with gormless insouciance..
'Oh, You don't want to do that!!...it's bad for Your lungs!!!' ....
'Does that mean that when Boots start selling e-liquid (was being mooted in the media at the time..) all Your liquids will be 100% Propolene Glycol?'
'Here's Your change, sir She snaps & turns away!!!

All good fun.....I don't get much opportunity to play the smart-arse so I enjoyed that one!!

[Perpetua]

It's an ' issue ' which crops up from time around the net pxr5 . . . . much does seem to depend upon the branch you've tried to make the quantity purchase at. Whatever the ' corporate ' directive might be, some branches do interpret and enforce it very strictly.

( In the past I've read of people being given a straight purchase refusal at the mere mention of their VG being used for eliquid making purposes. )

There's also the possibility to consider, that you may have been thought of as a ' Test/Mystery Shopper ' in this particular store, buying such a large volume. Most large retail organizations are subjected to such shops from persons unknown in order to test their due diligence procedures . . . . . so don't be too harsh on the cashiers/assistants.

Click & Collect is the way to go if you want to avoid any such future situations buying in bulk, it's a free next day service from many of their stores . . . . .

www.boots.com/health-pharmacy/medicines-treatments/cold-flu-medication/value-health-glycerin-b-p-200ml-10021858

[beedee]

I bought from Boots about 6 months ago, they only had 1 bottle on the shelf and I asked for 5 so the guy very kindly went to the storeroom to see if they had more and came back with another 4 without a murmer.

It is used for lots of other things - homemade soap, hair products, herbal extracts etc

yourgurnard - I play the smart-arse when medico types tell me it's bad for you (including one NHS nurse) by asking them which research study they are basing this advice on... they tend not to reply (because saying 'I read it in the Daily Mail' or 'the internet says so' does not sound very bright...?)

One of my biggest wind-ups is people who arbitrarily tell others what is good for them - I think it is rare that it comes from a place of genuinely wanting to help someone (but it pretends to, and that is what winds me up!)

[ghostrider1971]

Before I got in to the wonderful world of education, I used to work in the less wonderful world of commercial insurance...

When I was last asked in Boots (It's happened a few times....) and I said it was for making vape liquid - they said they were happy to sell it to me (thanks....) but that "wasn't the purpose they sold it for"

I started thinking about Products Liability insurance but then remembered how grateful I was to be out of insurance

[tcg69]

We have a small Boots where I live, I only have one problem in there when it comes to buying VG and it's a sales assistant, the max I can get past this bloke is 2 bottles before the third degree starts really proper jobs worth, the lady sales assistants they don't take any notice how many bottles I buy. I know what your all thinking only go in when he's not there but he's always bloody there I am sure he sees me cctv making my way in the store.

[andi53]

Rumour was that they dont like selling it to people who use it for vaping, as it's not being used for its intended purpose. Probably Boots want you to buy nic patches or gum, same thing with lots of their cheaper products, buy expensive laxatives instead of epsom salts, which like the Glycerin is always (purposely) out of stock.

[chykensa]

I may have been known to circumvent this problem at my local Superdrug by answering "it's for making handcream"! Just as well no-one has ever asked me for the recipe, or I would be blithering for Britain!

[tcg69]

I told the bloke in boots who asked me what I was using it for, that it was for sexual purposes (jokingly) he just starred and tutted. That bloke doesn't like me.