Boots, Superdrug and other chemists report hay fever pill shortages

GlaxoSmithKline blames shortage of key ingredient for lack of Piriton and Piriteze tablets

Big high street pharmacy chains including Boots and Superdrug have run out of some hay fever medicines, with the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, blaming temporary supply issues.

Piriton and Piriteze tablets, made by GSK, are out of stock at Boots and other chains because there is an industry-wide shortage of the active ingredient, chlorphenamine maleate, which is also used to treat eczema and food allergies.