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Can You Buy French A313 Pomade at Boots or Superdrug? (UK Sourcing Alternatives)

A313 is not a cosmetic that UK shops forgot to stock. It is a French medicine with a narrow approved use. Here is what that means for finding a genuine tube, and for using it.

Published 11 October 2026 · 5 min read

No. We found no A313 listing on Boots.com when we searched on 11 October 2026, and Superdrug's online search showed none either. That is not a stocking gap: A313 is a French medicine, authorised in France as a vitamin A ointment for skin irritation, not a UK cosmetic line.

The Cult Status Explained

A313's full French name is A 313 200 000 UI pour cent, pommade. France's public medicines database lists it as an authorised medicine that does not need a prescription, held by Pharma Developpement SA and authorised since 1998.

FactA313 (France)
What it isOintment (pommade)
Active ingredientSynthetic vitamin A, 200,000 IU per 100 g
Other ingredientsMacrogol 400, macrogol 4000, polysorbate 80
Approved useAdjunct treatment of irritant dermatitis
Legal status in FranceMedicine, no prescription needed
Dosing in the French instructionsApply locally once or twice a day

Online it is often called a cheap 'French pharmacy retinol'. That is a nickname, not its licence. The French product information lists one approved use, the adjunct treatment of irritant dermatitis. Anti-ageing and acne claims you see online are not part of it.

Why the UK high street does not carry it: in the UK, a medicine needs a UK marketing authorisation, shown as a licence number beginning PL, PLGB or PLNI on the pack. We could not confirm from the MHRA's product database whether A313 holds one, and we found no UK high-street listing.

How to Secure Authentic A313 in the UK

Fakes are a real risk with medicines bought online. The MHRA warns that fake medicines can contain dangerous ingredients. These checks let you verify a seller yourself, without relying on anyone's recommendation.

  • UK-based websites: check the pharmacy on the GPhC register. The regulator says its register is the only way to confirm a pharmacy is legally operating in Great Britain. If a UK seller offers A313, ask whether the pack carries a UK licence number.
  • French online pharmacies: France's pharmacists' council, the Ordre National des Pharmaciens, publishes the official list of websites authorised to sell medicines online. Check the exact site address against that list before you order.
  • The EU logo: legal online pharmacies in EU countries display a common EU logo that should link through to the national register. A logo that links nowhere, or to the shop's own page, is a warning sign.
  • Marketplaces: be wary of listings that do not name a registered pharmacy, show no expiry date, or sell A313 as an anti-ageing 'retinol cream'. None of those match the authorised product.
  • The product itself: the genuine pack is French. It should name A 313 200 000 UI pour cent, pommade, and the authorisation holder Pharma Developpement. The leaflet will be in French.

What this guide does not cover: we could not find current MHRA guidance on importing a medicine authorised only in another country for personal use. We have therefore not described an import method. If you plan to order from abroad, check the current rules with the MHRA before you buy.

The Routine Stacking Blueprint

The French product information is the only authoritative guide to using A313. It sets the limits below. It does not say to apply A313 to completely dry skin, or set an order for layering with other products, so treat any such tips you read online as opinion.

  • Frequency: apply locally once or twice a day.
  • Thin, limited use: the French product information says absorption into the body rises with repeated use, large areas, covering the skin (occlusion), thick layers and damaged skin. Use a thin layer on a limited area and do not cover it.
  • Not long term without advice: it warns that vitamin A excess cannot be ruled out with prolonged use.
  • Where not to use it: not on infected or weeping skin, and not if you are allergic to any ingredient.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: use in pregnancy only if necessary and avoid other vitamin A medicines at the same time. Do not apply it to the breasts while breastfeeding.
  • Side effects: a local allergic reaction is possible.

Fitting it around a UK routine: our suggestion is to treat A313 as your only vitamin A product, rather than layering it with a retinol or retinoid serum, and to keep the rest of the routine simple while you see how your skin responds. This follows from the warnings above; it is not an instruction in the French product information.

If irritation continues, spreads or looks infected, stop using it and speak to a pharmacist or GP.

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