Asda is starting a price war on IVF drugs in an attempt to become the UK’s most competitive pharmacy.

The grocer will save consumers £820 per cycle of treatment and said it was committed to selling the drugs on a ‘not for profit’ basis.

Currently those wanting IVF treatment face a postcode lottery to determine how many free cycles they can get before paying anywhere up to £2,000 for the hormones needed for the treatment.

Asda’s Superintendent pharmacist at John Evans said: “We know that an IVF postcode lottery means a considerable number of women will have to pay for additional cycles of treatment. IVF is extremely expensive and around 40, 000 women go through it every year.

“The Asda pharmacy is helping to reduce the cost of IVF by offering the medication on a not for profit basis and at a lower price than anywhere else, saving our customers as much as £820 per cycle of treatment.”