Rip-off railway station food & drink prices to be probed as cost of living crisis bites
THE great railway robbery of pricier Greggs sausage rolls, Wetherspoons pints and Costa coffees in train stations is being investigated as the cost of living crisis bites.
The Office for Rail and Road announced yesterday that it was investigating railway station catering, which rakes in over £1 billion a year from passengers.
The ORR, which usually reviews train punctuality, said that it wanted to “ensure that passengers are getting affordable food and beverages when using station facilities.
“It is important that the railway industry gives customers good value for money and improves their journey experience”.
Rail passengers are regularly ripped-off if buying food and drink at a train station.
Much-loved bakery chain Greggs charges £1.40 for one of its sausage rolls and £2.30 for a steak bake at a station, a 16 per cent increase on the £1.20 and £2 typical cost in a high street shop.
At Wetherspoon’s North Western pub at Birmingham New Street station a pint of Stella will set a drinker back £4.61 while a Guinness costs £4.29.
But Spoon’s Figure of Eight pub in the same city costs 30p less at £4.29 while a pint of the black stuff is 50p cheaper at £3.75.
Meanwhile the price of a Burger King Whopper costs £5.99 at high street branches but £6.49 at train station branches..
And the cost of a coffee at Costa and Caffe Nero can be as much as 15p more expensive in a train station than rail stations.
Starbucks charges £3.90 for a caffe latte in a rail station, but 30p less for the same drink at its high street cafes.
WH Smith is notorious for its hefty prices, charging £2.49 for a bottle of diet coke and £1.59 for a Walkers grab bag of crisps – significantly more than its own high street shops and rival newsagents.
SSP, the £2 billion travel catering company, will be under intense scrutiny as it makes money for charging more at its Starbucks, Burger King and Yo! Sushi and M&S Food to Go train station franchises.
It also has Upper Crust, Ritazza and Millie’s Cookies brands in rail stations.