Retailers say the price differences reflect higher operating costs – but experts say its more to do with having a captive market as you have little choice once you arrive at the transport hubs
Some shops are charging up to 48% more for snacks and drinks at airports and railway stations than at high street stores, research shows.
We compared retailers at Heathrow Airport with their shops elsewhere. A Pret A Manger takeaway tuna, mayo and cucumber baguette was just £3.99 on the high street but £5.90 at Heathrow, up 48%, and £4.50 at London’s Waterloo station.
At WHSmith, 750ml of Buxton water cost £2.89 at Heathrow, £2.49 at Waterloo but just £2 in its high street store.
Retailers say the price differences reflect higher operating costs. But Scott Dixon, of thecomplaintsresolver.co.uk said: “They prey on a captive market. At airports, you have little choice where you buy.”
WHSmith said: “Wherever we operate we seek to give good value for that location.” Pret told us: “In transport hubs we face higher rents and labour costs, and extra costs to run our on-site kitchens.”
Earlier this week, hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport were preparing to strike for three days, starting this Friday, in a dispute over shift patterns. The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) confirmed that their members, numbering more than 500, who work on passport control at terminals 2-5 are taking action in protest against the new rosters being introduced.
According to the union, over 250 staff could lose their jobs or be involuntarily reassigned to different roles due to these changes. Remaining employees are said to face longer working hours, rules around swapping shifts, lack of transparency concerning annual leave requests, and an inability to adjust work schedules to accommodate caring responsibilities, the PCS claimed.