Boots
Boots is the largest pharmacy in the UK Reuters

Several MPs have backed a boycott for the Boots pharmacy after they refused to lower the price of the morning after pill over fears it would encourage woman to use it inappropriately.

The campaign was launched by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) after Boots was found to be selling Levonelle, the leading brand for emergency contraceptive pills, for around £28 and £26.75 for its own generic version.

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This is despite other high-streets stores such as Tesco and Superdrug halving the cost of morning-after pills to just over £13 in recent months.

In other European countries such as France, the morning after pills are sold for as little as £5.

BPAS described the "deliberately high" pricing as "insulting" to women and is currently preventing it from being used as a regular method of contraception.

In response to a letter from BPAS asking Boots to "urgently reconsider" their pricing policy, Marc Donovan, Boots chief pharmacist, responded that the company would not want upset pro-life group who disapprove of emergency contraception or make it appear as if they are encouraging "inappropriate use".

Donovan added: "The consultation with the pharmacies helps to avoid emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) being misused or overused.

"In our experience, the subject of emergency hormonal contraception polarises public opinion and we receive frequent contact from individuals who voice their disapproval of the fact that the company chooses to provide this service.

"We would not want to be accused of incentivising inappropriate use, and provoking complaints, by significantly reducing the price of this product."

He added: "The price of out EHC offering over the counter is in line with that suggested by the manufacturers and we regularly review our pricing strategy. We do not propose to change the price at this current time."

Following the response, MPs and several other high-profile names back the BPAS' Just Say Non campaign to urge pharmacies to lower the price of the morning after pill as well as suggesting a boycott of Boots UK.

Jess Phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, told The Telegraph: "It's totally unacceptable and also totally commercial, they're willing to take a moral stance if it pays them. They're still willing to sell it.

"I don't usually agree with calling for boycotts but in this case I encourage women to vote with their feet and to not use Boots."

Fellow Labour Mp Stella Creasy added: "I do agree with a boycott because I am a strong believer in consumer activism and people voting not just at the ballot box but with their shopping baskets".

In a statement, Boots said they as "extremely disappointed" on the focus BPAS have taken and reminded it does provide free contraception to women who are eligible following a consultation.

A spokesperson added: "As the UK's leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer, we are regularly contacted by groups with varying views on this topic, our priority is the health and wellbeing of our customers and patients.

"We were recently contacted by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and sent a full and detailed response outlining our views that this is a professional healthcare service which, we believe, requires a professional healthcare consultation."