self-tests are popular in supermarkets

This is the star product of December 31 in supermarkets: the self-test. In a supermarket in the Parisian suburbs, it is sold individually, in bulk and at cost price, which is four times cheaper than in pharmacies. “Last week I had five, I paid 26 euros at the pharmacy”, remembers a client. “It’s easier to take them here”, believes a man. The tests are however rationed, with a maximum of five boxes per person. A total of 6,000 tests were sold Friday, December 31 in this store alone.

In a pharmacy, some customers prefer to be tested by the pharmacist. Others provide themselves with self-tests, and benefit from the advice of professionals. They are sold here for 5.20 euros per unit, much more expensive than in supermarkets. Large-scale distribution has been able to count on large stocks, and can thus respond to the shortage that arose after Christmas. The sale of self-tests will however only be authorized until January 31.