Spot the difference

Both boxes contain 200mg ibuprofen.

At Boots.co.uk, accessed on 20/06/2011, a pack of 16 Anadin Ibuprofen cost £1.62 (normal price £2.03). Anadin Joint Pain (also 16 tablets) costs £2.50 (no special offer available). A 54% increase on the current special offer price, or a 23% increase on the normal price.

I wasn't sure that both contained identical forms of ibuprofen, to account for the price difference, so I sent an enquiry to Pfizer Consumer Healthcare to ask what the difference was. They responded thus:

"Anadin Joint Pain is the same as Anadin Ibuprofen tablets but has been packaged, like the rest of the Anadin range, to help consumers navigate through the huge choice available and pick an appropriate product."

I think this is shameful. A company simply packaging something slightly differently, making out it is for a specific purpose in order to increase the price.