Asda has started its court battle to abolish Resale Price Maintenance for Over The Counter medicines at the Restrictive Practices Court. The hearing is expected to last 30 days with a decision likely later this year. "Even the Director General of Fair Trading says pressure groups like Community Pharmacists Action Group are scaremongering when they say abolishing RPM will put chemists out of business," said a spokeswoman. "We've fought long and hard to get this to the courts. Only 6% of pharmacists' sales are covered by RPM products, and just 5% of profits." To mark the hearing, Asda cut the price of own label vitamins by 20%. {{NEWS }}

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