The largest pharmacy chains are competing for consumers’ hearts and minds over Covid lateral flow tests.

Free tests will be scrapped in April but Boots, LloydsPharmacy and Superdrug have embarked on a price war. On Tuesday, Boots said it would sell individual lateral flow tests for £5.99 including delivery costs and £17 for a pack of four.

It also said that from next month, tests will be available in over 400 of its branches for £2.50 or £12 for a pack of five, with four tests priced at £9.50 online.

Yesterday, Superdrug responded by announcing it will sell individual tests for £1.99 and £9.79 for a pack of five. LloydsPharmacy is selling a five-pack test kit online for £9.49.

Morrisons also said it will sell tests in its 497 stores but they are still to confirm their price but Aldi and Lidl have no plans to do so in the UK. Well said they will make a decision on how much to charge “nearer the time.”