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The snacks that could cost you up to 48pc more in airports and train stations
Regulator finds travellers forced to pay higher premiums at stores located within major transport hubs
Shops in airports and train stations across the UK are hiking the price of snacks by as much as 48 per cent.
Those travelling by plane tend to pay a higher added premium for sandwiches, snacks and drinks in airports than they already do in train stations.
At Heathrow airport, a Pret A Manger takeaway tuna, mayo and cucumber baguette was £5.90 - up 48 per cent from the £3.99 the chain charges customers on the high street, the Sunday Mirror reported.
The same baguette is £4.50 at London’s Waterloo station.
The situation is similar at Stansted airport, where a pain au chocolat at Leon is priced at £2.99, compared to £2.10 on the high street, a 42 per cent hike.
Pret’s cheddar and pickle baguette, £4.50 on the high street, was 37 per cent more expensive at Stansted, where it goes for £6.20.
A study published this week by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) estimates that the average food retailer is charging a premium of around 10 per cent for food and drink in stations.
The watchdog used mystery shoppers to visit some of the most popular station outlets and compare them with high street prices.
They found that retail prices at airports for common purchases like bottled water and cola are up to 12 per cent higher than at rail stations.
The ORR said the evidence also suggests that customers were less satisfied with station catering, with 9 out of 10 brands holding a lower average review at stations.
Station operators told the ORR that they prefer to take a “hands-off” approach to retail prices and carry out little in the way of formal monitoring and do not try to influence prices.
A Pret spokesperson said: “Like all retailers operating in transport hubs, we face a range of different cost pressures, including higher rents and labour costs. We also face additional costs to run our on-site kitchens, where our teams make Pret’s freshly made food every day.
“We always try to absorb these costs as much as possible, reviewing our pricing regularly to remain competitive whilst still offering good value, and never compromising on our high-quality ingredients.”
Leon and WH Smith have been approached for comment.