Walgreens (WBA) customers are calling for a boycott of the drugstore and pharmacy chain after some shoppers were denied contraceptives.
A series of consumers have taken to social media to show their outrage at Walgreens after the chain refused to sell them condoms and birth control pills, sparking a boycott of the retailer.
#NEW
Walgreens employees are allowed to refuse to sell condoms and emergency contraception like Plan B due to their own "moral objections."
If you object to people being prevented from accessing these contraceptive and healthcare needs at a drugstore, #BoycottWalgreens— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) July 18, 2022
I will boycott @Walgreens which means that I will have to avoid the one in the town that I live as well as the one in the town where I work. I will drive 20 minutes to get to a CVS. An employee does not get to make a moral judgement regarding my purchases.
— Donna __ ___ (@Donna2424woo) July 19, 2022
What’s going on Walgreens? #BoycottWalgreens
— David Sanders (@DaveDownriver) July 19, 2022
In one instance, a Walgreens customer claims she was unable to fill her birth control pills, of which she had plenty of refills remaining. She said in a TikTok video that she asked a Walgreens employee, who she said was wearing two crosses, if “You won’t refill or you can’t refill it?”
@abigailmartiin i am so beyond pissed at our country right now. #roevwade #prochoice #womensrights #birthcontrol #vanlife ♬ original sound – Abigail Martin
The employee instructed the woman to call her healthcare provider, who told her that she had four refills remaining. When she contacted Walgreens again, she was told her birth control pills would be refilled.
According to the woman, another worker at the pharmacy explained that “I know exactly who you’re talking about, and we’ve been having this problem for the last two weeks.”
The woman continued in her video, “So first they want us to stop getting pregnant and having abortions, and then they don’t want to help us prevent that pregnancy.” She added, “Access to health care should be a right. And this should not be happening.”
Another Walgreens customer said he and his wife were refused condoms at a Hayward, Wisconsin, store when a worker said he wouldn’t sell them because of his faith.
The customers filed a complaint with Walgreens, saying the worker“proceeded to embarrass me in front of other customers for my reproductive choices.”
We went to Hayward to get some groceries and a stop at @Walgreens because we had left Jess birth control at home. As Jess was checking out, cashier John told her he couldn’t sell her the condoms. “Oh I got them from over there.”
“We can, but I won’t because of my faith.” 1/x
— Nate Pentz (@natepentz) July 3, 2022
Thanks for the great customer experience @Walgreens @WAGSocialCare 3/x pic.twitter.com/HG5XKyDH5e
— Nate Pentz (@natepentz) July 4, 2022
In another instance, a woman said she received a package with Enfamil baby formula after buying a pregnancy test at a Walgreens store, claiming the company sold her information after she bought the test with her rewards card.
The woman slammed Enfamil and Walgreens, saying in a tweet, “what if I were desperately trying to get pregnant and can’t? Wouldn’t this be a kick to the face?!”
Dear @Walgreens I received this package today a week after purchasing a pregnancy test at your store. I was asked to take the test by my doctor despite having no Fallopian tubes. 1/X pic.twitter.com/EZTsTPf7jd
— Nicole (@melancholynsex) July 17, 2022
Second, what if I were desperately trying to get pregnant and can’t? Wouldn’t this be a kick to the face?! 4/X
— Nicole (@melancholynsex) July 17, 2022
Walgreens maintains that it allows its pharmacists the right to refuse to fill a prescription if they personally have a “moral objection” to the transaction, which includes birth control, emergency contraceptives, and other items that they find objectionable.
However, Walgreens did say in a tweeted response to a customer that they should ask another pharmacist or manager to fill the prescription instead.
Our policy allows pharmacists to step away from filling a prescription for which they have a moral objection. At the same time, they are also required to refer the prescription to another pharmacist or manager on duty to meet the patient's needs in a timely manner.
— Walgreens (@Walgreens) June 25, 2018
The alleged denied sales from Walgreens workers come amid the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, where some women across the nation are faced with abortion bans.
As of Tuesday at 1:21 p.m. ET, shares of Walgreens were trading at $38.56, up 24 cents, or 0.61%.
Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Discussion about this post