High street giants cashing in with motorway ventures
Motorway drivers are currently being charged anything up to 91% more for soft drinks and snacks at the UK’s service stations – when compared with high street prices – consumer experts say.
The likes of WH Smith, fast food giant Burger King, and also Marks & Spencer stand accused of sneakily taking advantage of motorists that are left with little alternative should they want to make a stop-off and eat.
The high prices of stopping off for snacks come on top of premiums rates drivers also have to pay if they stop for petrol and diesel while on the motorway.
Of all the mentioned companies, WH Smith is the one most guilty of imposing unreasonable mark-ups, according to research done by What Car?. For example, a 750ml bottle of water was £1.91 – 91% more than the usual £1 price found at any of its high street stores. Meanwhile, a 500ml serving of a fizzy drink was 18.2% more at £1.69.
At Marks & Spencer, which has made moves into the country’s service stations with the Simply Food outlets that it runs, the survey found still Scottish water to be 25% more expensive, while its bacon and egg sandwiches are 16% pricier at £2.90.
At Burger King, hot food is considerably more expensive with its double cheeseburger meal coming in at £6.15 at any of its motorway outlets – 12 % more than at normal high street restaurants.