Multiples have rejected claims they are cutting back on employee benefits, stressing that they are offering bonuses, discounts and "attractive" holiday entitlements.

Pharmacy employers said they were still offering competitive employment packages, despite the Pharmacists' Defence Association and income protection insurer PG Mutual claiming that larger employers were looking to make savings in this area.

The comments came after C+D poll results suggested 70 per cent of readers had seen benefits such as sick pay and pensions cut back in the past year.

"We have not made any reductions to any of these employee benefits in the past 12 months and currently there are no plans to do so" Boots spokesperson

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But Boots and the Co-operative Pharmacy told C+D they had not made any changes to their benefits in the past 12 months. Boots said it had introduced a new bonus scheme and a company-wide pay rise of 2 per cent, as well as a 1 per cent increase in base pay, after reviewing its employee benefits in April 2011. The health and beauty giant told C+D its package included "attractive holiday entitlements, a discount card and a strong pension plan". "We have not made any reductions to any of these employee benefits in the past 12 months and currently there are no plans to do so," a Boots spokesperson said. "We see our broader benefits package being an important incentive for colleagues to want to work at Boots UK."

The Co-operative Pharmacy highlighted the advantages of its employment package and stressed it made "significant investments" in training. "As part of the Co-operative Group, our employees receive a comprehensive range of benefits including discounts across the variety of businesses, such as 10 per cent off food and pharmacy over-the-counter products," said Co-Operative Pharmacy head of HR Janet McNally. "In addition, there's an annual staff dividend payment and this year the group introduced a cycle-to-work scheme."

Lloydspharmacy did not comment on whether it had cut back on benefits in the past year, but told C+D it was in line with other pharmacy employers. "As a commercial business operating in a highly competitive environment, we regularly review our employee benefits to ensure we are in line with the market," a company spokesperson said.