Tip Email
FREE Weekly MoneySaving email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today - it’s spam free!
Cheap Hay Fever Tablets
Slash the cost of hay fever remedies
Updated 9 March 2021
Hay fever is not to be sneezed at. Dust and pollen allergies can be hard on the pocket as well as the nose, but you can legally get exactly the same allergy relief for less than half the normal price. Find dirt-cheap generic equivalents of your hay fever medication, then cut the cost further with online deals.
Tip Email
FREE Weekly MoneySaving email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today - it’s spam free!
How to find the cheapest tablets
Buying branded hay fever tablets is almost always more expensive than getting the generic equivalent. Yet if the active ingredient is the same, you're still buying the same product. When a company develops a drug, it is given unique rights to sell it for a number of years. Once the term ends, any company can make it, providing it meets the regulations. Most over-the-counter drugs have identical medical properties regardless of brand.
The key thing is to find what the 'active' ingredient of your usual remedy is. Then buy the cheapest with the same ingredient.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) says: "Regardless of cost, and whether they are branded or generic, all medicines are made to the same standards, so you can be reassured your medicine is safe. Branded and generic products are the same if the dose of the drug and the formulation (eg, tablet or a liquid) are the same."
For more on this, read the 20+ Medicine Savings guide.
Quick warnings before you start
Once you've got the correct active ingredient, you're ready to sniff out a bargain. However, before taking any replacement tablets there are some important points to check...
-
We only include pharmacies registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the independent regulator responsible for setting standards of practice. It routinely inspects pharmacies and can take disciplinary action against pharmacists.
![]()
All pharmacies, including online pharmacies, must be registered with the GPhC. It has a voluntary logo scheme to help to identify registered online pharmacies based in Britain. However, because it is a voluntary scheme not all online pharmacies use the logo. The GPhC website contains information on a number of further checks you can make to see whether an online pharmacy is registered.
We do as many checks as we can, but we're not medical experts. You need to make your own decision when buying pharmaceuticals online, and we can't take responsibility for that.
If you know of any other reliable online pharmacies which undercut these, please report them here to let us know.
Tip Email
FREE Weekly MoneySaving email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today - it’s spam free!
Cheap tablets: 180 for less than £5
Prices change regularly so always check before you buy, particularly at the height of the season when there are a lot of offers available. Remember this is just a guide – always check the packet of the remedy you commonly use to find the active ingredient.
Buying online won't be practical if you're in the middle of an attack, so if you're suffering right now, the high street might be your best bet. Shops often have generic and branded tablets on offer, so for the best deal always check the back of the packet and then go for the cheapest price.
Important: not all tablets are one-a-day. There are different types of drugs as we explain, but some tablets need to be taken more regularly than others, so consider this when comparing cost. For example, £1 for 10 one-a-day tablets may seem more expensive than 90p for 10 tablets which you take every four hours, but the one-a-day tablets will last MUCH longer.
Prices updated 9 March 2021. Prices can fluctuate and stores often have special offers, so always check before you buy 'em.
NHS description: Cetirizine is an antihistamine medicine that relieves the symptoms of allergies. It's used to treat conditions such as hay fever, conjunctivitis and eczema. It comes as tablets, capsules or a liquid.
Cheapest online deal we found: PharmacyFirst* 180 tablets for £4.79 all-in. Delivery's free, though you'll have to pay if ordering other non-offer items.
We've included the below to give an idea of how online prices compare to buying in store at big chains. However, our medicines investigation found discounters such as Poundstretcher were often the best places for hay fever tablets, eg, when we looked we found 14 cetirizine hydrochloride tablets for 50p.
Cheapest 30-tablet packs in store (cetirizine)
| Cheapest generic | Cheapest Piriteze, Zirtek or branded equivalent tablets |
| Asda: £2.65 Boots: £2.49 Morrisons: £2.75 Sainsbury's: £2.95 Superdrug: £2.49 Tesco: N/A Waitrose: N/A Wilko: £1.50 |
Asda: £7 (normally £9) Boots: £9.99 Morrisons: £10 Sainsbury's: £10 Superdrug: £9.99 Tesco: £10 Waitrose: N/A Wilko: £10 |
NHS description: Loratadine is an antihistamine medicine that relieves the symptoms of allergies. It's used to treat hay fever, conjunctivitis, eczema and hives. It's known as a non-drowsy antihistamine and comes as tablets or as a liquid.
Cheapest online bulk buy we found: PharmacyFirst* 180 tablets for £6.95 all-in. Delivery's free, though you'll have to pay if ordering other non-offer items.
We've included the prices below to give you an idea of how online prices compare to buying in store at big chains. However, our medicines investigation found discount stores such as Poundstretcher were often the best places for hay fever tablets, eg, when we checked we found 30 loratadine tablets for 79p.
Cheapest 30-tablet packs in store (loratadine)
| Cheapest generic | Cheapest Clarityn tablets |
| Asda: £2.65 Boots: £2.49 Morrisons: N/A Sainsbury's: £2.95 Superdrug: £2.49 Tesco: £2.75 Waitrose: N/A Wilko: £1.50 |
Asda: n/a Boots: £10.49 Morrisons: £6 (normally £10) Sainsbury's: £10 Superdrug: £10.49 Tesco: £9.65 Waitrose: £9.95 Wilko: £4.50 |
NHS description: Chlorphenamine is an antihistamine medicine that relieves the symptoms of allergies. It's used for hay fever, conjunctivitis, eczema, hives caused by food allergies and chickenpox, insect bites and stings.
Cheapest online deal we found: There's no stand-out generic deal right now, but you can get 500 Piriton tablets for £13.99 (£16.94 all-in) at Chemist4U.
We've included the prices below to give you an idea of how online prices compare to buying in store at big chains.
Cheapest 60-tablet packs in store (chlorphenamine)
| Cheapest generics | Cheapest Piriton tablets |
|---|---|
| Boots: £5.89 Superdrug: N/A |
Boots: £6.69 Superdrug: £6.69 |
NHS description: Benadryl contains the active ingredient acrivastine. Acrivastine belongs to a group of medicines called antihistamines which help to reduce the symptoms of allergies such as redness, itching and swelling.
Here, there are no generic equivalents, so it's all about getting the cheapest Benadryl in stores, if that's the one you want. It's worth checking for offers, eg, earlier this year Boots was selling a 24-tablet pack for £8.99, but a special offer meant you could get two 12-tablet packs (so 24 tablets in total) for £6.
Cheapest Benadryl 24-tablet packs (take up to three a day)
| Cheapest generics | Cheapest Benadryl tablets (in price order) |
|---|---|
| N/A | Morrisons: £6.50 (normally £8.50) Waitrose: £8.95 Boots: £8.99 Superdrug: £8.99 Asda: £9 Sainsbury's: £9 Tesco: £9 |
Tip Email
FREE Weekly MoneySaving email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today - it’s spam free!
Is it cheaper to get a prescription?
How cost-effective a prescription is depends on where you live:
Live in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland? Here, prescriptions are free. Visit your GP to get your hay fever or allergy medication by prescription and you won't pay a penny. Try to get the longest supply you can.
Live in England? Most people pay for prescriptions at £9.15 a go (it's £9.35 from 1 April), so it all depends how many tablets you are prescribed. You may get a month's worth for £9.15, or you may get three.
Obviously, if you don't pay for prescriptions, it'll be free, so that's the cheapest way to get tablets. Otherwise do the maths versus the cheapest equivalent above. It's also worth considering a pre-paid prescription certificate if you buy regularly.
If you or your child get free prescriptions, the little-known Minor Ailments Scheme means you may be able to get free hay fever meds at some pharmacists. It's not available everywhere, but it's worth checking if you're entitled. See the 20+ Medicine Savings guide for more help.
If you spot any cheaper deals, please report them in the Cheap Hay Fever Remedies discussion.
Quick tips to reduce symptoms & other hay fever remedies
As well as cutting the cost of medication, there are a number of other ways to keep your summer sneezes to a minimum.
-
![]()
Children under 12 and pregnant women should take special care when choosing hay fever meds.
Kids' versions of products can cost more than the adult versions, but the same MoneySaving principles apply. Branded syrups can share the same active ingredient, often only featuring different flavourings, and generic versions may be available.
Look at the ingredients and the dosage guidelines, rather than the spiel and fancy packaging, but remember you can always ask your pharmacist if you're unsure.
Children and pregnant women who don't pay for prescriptions can also get free hay fever medicine at some pharmacies via the Minor Ailments Scheme. See the 20+ Medicine Savings guide for more help.
-
![]()
While antihistamines should be enough to reduce hay fever symptoms for most, they're unlikely to totally relieve nasal congestion or streaming eyes. So it may be worth investing in a separate nasal spray, and/or eye drops.
Again, there are various types to watch out for and look out for generic equivalents. If you're unsure what to try first, consult your pharmacist.
Beclometasone (Beconase). At Boots, the branded version is £9.49 (180 sprays). Alternatively, an unbranded version (200 sprays) is £6.59*.
Sodium Cromoglicate Eye Drops (Opticrom/Optrex). The branded versions are £4-£6 at most major supermarkets. An unbranded version is £4.99 at Boots*.
-
For some sufferers, a couple of pieces of technology have been claimed to alleviate hay fever symptoms without using any drugs. Anecdotal feedback has generally been positive, though as ever with alternative therapies, usefulness is in the eye (or nose) of the beholder.
![]()
Light therapy. This is based on the idea of using red light to desensitise nasal passages in a bid to defend you from allergic reactions and reduce inflammation.
There's a range of different models available. Lloyds Pharmacy is currently selling one for £14.99 (normally £19.99). It's also worth checking Amazon*, as we've seen them go for £15-£20 there.
![]()
- Air purifiers. If you struggle to sleep at night because of the pollen swirling around your bedroom, air purifiers may also be helpful.
These often mildly noisy devices work to clean the air in any room, either by filtering (HEPA-type) or ionising air molecules.
These generally cost upwards of £30, but again, it's sometimes possible to get them for about £15 via Amazon*. For more on air purifiers, see Wikipedia's air purifier entry.
For extra feedback on these, read MoneySaver Harryharp's useful forum thread.
![illustration]()
Tip Email
FREE Weekly MoneySaving email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today - it’s spam free!
Spotted out of date info/broken links? Email: brokenlink@moneysavingexpert.com
-
Travel traffic light system to be introduced for summer holidays - here's how it will work
9 April 2021![]()
The Government has unveiled details of how it plans to open up foreign travel this summer, with countries to be graded under a new traffic light system which will determine whether travellers need to quarantine and what coronavirus tests are required. -
Coronavirus Life-in-Lockdown Help
9 April 2021![]()
The Prime Minister has unveiled sweeping restrictions on public movement to tackle the spread of coronavirus. This has had a huge impact on daily life, affecting everything from weddings and train travel to music events and sport. To help, we're working flat out to answer your questions on these topics and more -
Coronavirus Travel Rights
9 April 2021![]()
The coronavirus outbreak is causing major travel disruption around the globe -
EE rolls out 5G to 35 more UK towns and cities - how to check if there's coverage in your area
8 April 2021![]()
EE mobile customers with 5G contracts and compatible handsets can now access the faster service in 160 towns and cities across the UK. It comes as the mobile network has added 35 more locations to its 5G network, including the likes of Brighton in East Sussex and York in Yorkshire. -
Ratesetter investors furious as 'technical issue' delays withdrawals after account closures
8 April 2021![]()
Thousands of Ratesetter investors have been left waiting to get their cash back from closed accounts after a 'technical issue' delayed withdrawals made over the Bank Holiday weekend and on Tuesday. The peer-to-peer lender says it's now fixed the problem though, and says payments should arrive in customers' accounts by the end of Thursday (8 April).
-
Martin Lewis: Payment holidays coming to an end – but should you take one? Mortgages, credit cards, loans, payday loans, car finance and more
23 March 2021![]()
Within the last week, we've seen the extension of coronavirus credit card, personal loan and overdraft help to 31 October 2020, with mortgage payment holidays already extended. The regulator's other help schemes are also likely to be extended too, including car finance and payday loans, yet should you do it?
MSE Tools & Calculators
Clever ways to calculate your finances
