The MHRA has issued a fresh warning against selling large quantities of OTC analgesics because of a complaint about the sale of 96 aspirin tablets in one transaction.  

A healthcare professional had complained about the sale of aspirin in a Nisa-branded convenience store in July, the MHRA revealed last week (September 13).  

The incident prompted Nisa to contact all of its members to remind them of MHRA guidance on painkillers, which recommends selling no more than two packs in any single transaction, althought it is legal to sell up to 100 tablets.

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	The medicines watchdog stressed that it "strongly discouraged" large sales of OTC analgesics because they could undermine pack size restrictions, introduced by the government to protect public safety.

The MHRA recommends implementing till bars to prevent the purchase of more than two packs, creating customer notices on the restrictions and regularly training staff on the issue.  

Nisa told C+D it "actively encouraged" its members to follow best practice guidance. "We take our responsibility to our members and the consumer seriously and our advice to retailers is to follow the MHRA guidance," said John Heagney, Nisa director responsible for branded stores. "This has been widely communicated throughout our business."  

The Nisa operating system warns cashiers if they attempt to process multiple sales of painkillers and the group also offers training on the issue, Mr Heagney added.