Boots vs Superdrug, Tesco, Asda and Aldi: cold and flu remedies compared on price

Boots and Superdrug are where many of us head when a cold starts, but the supermarkets sell the same medicines, and their own-brand versions for a fraction of the price. In its latest checks, Which? found 16 own-brand ibuprofen tablets for 35p at Aldi, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's, while a 16-pack of Nurofen was £1.81 at its cheapest.

We've compared Boots and Superdrug with Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Sainsbury's for a winter medicine cabinet, using the prices Which? published on 15 October 2026, which it checked on 14 October. We tried to recheck them on 22 October 2026, but the retailers' websites blocked our automated checks, so prices may have moved since. We've also drawn on NHS advice about which remedies are worth buying at all.

At a glance

• Cheapest painkillers: own-brand ibuprofen at 35p for 16 from Aldi, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's. B&M had own-brand paracetamol for 29p.
• Cheapest cold and flu capsules: Aldi and Tesco, both £1.15 for 16.
• Cheapest cough syrup by volume: Aldi, £2.49 for 300ml.
• Boots: its own-brand products cost a little more than the supermarkets' in most cases, and it wasn't the cheapest seller of any branded product Which? checked.
• Superdrug: joint cheapest for Sudafed Decongestant Tablets at £4.59, and its own Early Defence nasal spray was £4.99.

Painkillers: the biggest saving

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the same medicines whatever the box says. Which? found:

• Own-brand ibuprofen 200mg, 16 tablets: 35p at Aldi, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's.
• Own-brand paracetamol 500mg, 16 tablets: 29p at B&M, with Aldi, Savers, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's also selling own-brand packs.
• Nurofen 200mg, 16 tablets: £1.81 at its cheapest, at Asda. That's more than five times the own-brand price.
• Panadol Advance 500mg, 16 tablets: £2.14 at its cheapest, also at Asda.

Which? says it's only worth paying more if you need something specific, such as a dissolving or smooth-coated tablet.

Cold and flu capsules: cheap, but often unnecessary

For a pack of 16 maximum-strength cold and flu capsules, Which? found:

• Aldi Cold & Flu Relief: £1.15
• Tesco Maximum Strength Cold and Flu Capsules: £1.15
• Asda Max Strength Cold & Flu Capsules: £2.20
• Boots Max Strength Cold and Flu Day and Night Capsules: £2.40
• Lemsip Max Cold and Flu Capsules: £4.67 at its cheapest, at Asda. Superdrug also sells them.
• Beechams Flu Plus Caplets: £1.79 at B&M.

Which? goes further and calls combination products "an expensive placebo" for most people. Many contain the decongestant phenylephrine, which it says has been shown to have "little to no effect" on congestion, so you're mostly paying for the painkiller inside. They also contain paracetamol, so don't take them with ordinary paracetamol tablets. The NHS also warns against combining cough and cold medicines with paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets, because you could take more than you should.

Blocked noses, sore throats and coughs

Decongestant nasal sprays (15ml): Asda £1.97, Tesco £2 and Boots £2.10, so there's little in it. Boots' own Decongestant Tablets were £3.65 for 12, against £4.59 for Sudafed Decongestant Tablets at Superdrug or Chemist4U. The NHS says nasal sprays shouldn't be used for more than a week, because they can make symptoms worse, and decongestants shouldn't be given to children under 6.

Vapour rubs: Bells Vapour Rub was 99p for 50g at B&M. Asda's 50g was £1.30, Tesco's £1.35 and Boots Everyday Vapour Rub £1.99 for 48g. Vicks VapoRub in a 35g Easy Applicator was £4.75 at its cheapest.

Sore throat lozenges (36): Asda £3.30 and Tesco £3.35 for their own dual-action lozenges, against £5.80 for Strepsils Honey and Lemon at Sainsbury's, the cheapest Which? found. Which? says the evidence for medicated lozenges is limited, and any sucking sweet with a painkiller may work as well.

Cough syrup: the gap is widest here once you compare by volume.

• Aldi Health Essentials Tickly Cough Syrup: £2.49 for 300ml, about 83p per 100ml
• Asda Dry Tickly Cough Syrup: £3 for 300ml, £1 per 100ml
• Tesco Health Chesty Cough Relief: £3.15 for 300ml, £1.05 per 100ml
• Boots Tickly Cough Relief: £3.99 for 150ml, about £2.66 per 100ml
• Benylin Dry and Tickly Syrup: £5.79 for 150ml at Amazon, about £3.86 per 100ml

Which? says the evidence for cough syrups is thin, and that hot lemon and honey may soothe a cough just as well. The NHS says not to give honey to babies under 12 months.

Nasal sprays that may shorten a cold

This is one area where Which? says there is some evidence. It points to a 2024 University of Southampton study that found Vicks First Defence or a simple saline spray could reduce how bad a cold gets and how long it lasts. Vicks First Defence was £6.79 for 15ml at Savers. Boots Dual Defence was £6.99 for 20ml, and Superdrug's Early Defence Nasal Spray was £4.99, though Which? didn't list its size. Boots' own saline spray was £6.99 for 100ml.

What a winter basket costs

Where each wins and falls short

• Aldi matched or beat everyone on the own-brand products Which? listed, including 35p ibuprofen, £1.15 cold and flu capsules and the cheapest cough syrup, though Which? listed fewer of its products than Asda's or Tesco's.
• Tesco was level with Aldi on cold and flu capsules and close to Asda on most other own-brand lines.
• Asda was the cheapest place for Nurofen, Panadol Advance and Lemsip Max, and its own-brand nasal spray and lozenges were a few pence cheaper than Tesco's.
• Sainsbury's had 35p ibuprofen and the cheapest Strepsils, but Which? listed fewer of its own-brand remedies.
• Boots is handy if you want a pharmacist's advice at the same time, and its own-brand decongestant spray was only 13p more than Asda's. But it wasn't the cheapest for any branded product, and its own cough syrup cost more than twice as much per 100ml as the supermarkets'.
• Superdrug was joint cheapest for Sudafed tablets and its Early Defence spray had the lowest price of the defence-style nasal sprays, though Which? didn't give its size.

Your questions answered

Are own-brand cold remedies as good as branded ones?

For painkillers, yes: 16 own-brand paracetamol or ibuprofen tablets contain the same active ingredient at the same strength as the branded versions. For other products, check the active ingredient and strength on the pack, or ask a pharmacist to compare them for you.

Can a pharmacist help instead of a GP?

Often, yes. The NHS says pharmacists can advise on cough and cold medicines, and Which? suggests asking them about cheaper generic versions too. In England, the NHS Pharmacy First service lets pharmacists assess and treat sore throats in people aged 5 and over without a GP appointment. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own pharmacy services, so ask at your local pharmacy.

When should I see a GP about a cold?

The NHS says colds usually clear up in 1 to 2 weeks and antibiotics won't help. It suggests contacting a GP if your symptoms don't improve after 10 days, you have a high temperature for more than 3 days, you're short of breath or have chest pain, or a cough lasts more than 3 weeks.

Ways to save

The quickest saving is to pick up own-brand painkillers with your weekly shop at Aldi, Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury's. If you'd rather order from a chemist, our Boots voucher codes page was showing free next-day delivery on medicines and treatments with the code HEALTHFNDD, and free standard delivery when you spend £25. Superdrug offers free delivery over £25, or £20 for Health & Beautycard members, who also get a point for every £1 spent (100 points are worth £1). If someone in your family gets regular NHS prescriptions, Click Pharmacy delivers them free.

Sources: Which?: how to save on cold and flu medicines this winter, NHS: common cold, NHS England: Pharmacy First, Click Pharmacy

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