Warehouse hears mum's pleas

An Invercargill woman's argument has convinced The Warehouse to move paracetamol products away from checkout aisles throughout the country.

Warehouse operations manager Karl Parker yesterday said the company decided to move the over-the-counter drugs after the woman complained that her teenage daughter, a patient at a residential mental health unit, had bought Panadol from the Invercargill store.

She and two other patients had overdosed on the drugs.

As a result of the complaint, the company had decided to remove paracetamol products from the confectionery area next to the checkouts to a more appropriate location in the store, he said.

"The change will be nationwide and made over the next seven days," Mr Parker said.

But paracetamol was still an unrestricted medicine and it was unclear whether the move would resolve the issue, he said.

The Southland Times earlier reported that the three Invercargill teenagers were in the care of mental health provider Pact House South. All three teenagers, who The Southland Times understands to be high risk, were admitted to Southland Hospital on April 12 after taking between 15 and 19 Panadol tablets.

The mother said it was too easy to buy the pills and they should not be found at the checkout next to the lolly stand.

Last night she was full of praise for the action taken by the store.

"It's good to see some good come out of this situation."

It was constantly drummed into parents to keep medication away from children and away from lollies and retailers should follow that example, she said. "They (the Warehouse) have done the best thing they possibly could have."

- © Fairfax NZ News