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SKY HIGH PRICES

Brits are paying up to 150 per cent MORE at airport duty free than in high street shops – but there are some savings to be made

Passengers hoping to stock up on food and wine at the airport should think again

Duty free shops may not always be offering a bargain at the airport

BRITS hoping to grab a bargain at duty free when travelling through the airport may not be saving as much money as they previously thought.

New research has revealed how holidaymakers could in fact be paying up to 150 per cent more when shopping at the terminal than in shops on the high street.

 Duty free shops may not always be offering a bargain at the airport
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Duty free shops may not always be offering a bargain at the airportCredit: Getty - Contributor

Comparison website analysed a range of products, categorised into beauty, alcohol, fashion and food, and compared duty free prices with that of high street retailers.

Cadbury's Oreo chocolate bar is the biggest rip off in London Airports, costing £5 at duty free and just £2 at the supermarket.

A 250g bag of peanut M&M's didn't fare much better, costing £3.50 at duty free yet just £1.50 at supermarkets.

Despite passengers thinking they are grabbing a bargain, wine is also a no-no - a bottle of Domaine de Tholomies Chardonnay, for example, costs just £11.69 at retail yet £15.99 at the airport.

 Wine and food cost more at the airport, while spirits and beauty products cost less
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Wine and food cost more at the airport, while spirits and beauty products cost lessCredit: Alamy

Along with food and wines, products including sun-care, sunglasses and toys all cost much more at the airport than at local shops.

Thankfully, bargains can be found, especially when it comes to beauty products and spirits.

Fragrance Armani Diamonds can be bought for 30 per cent less at duty free, costing £51.05 compared to £72 online.

New airport robot, KLM Care-E, scans your boarding pass, carries your luggage to your gate and even stops off for duty free

Vodka is also much cheaper at the airport, with a saving of just under £10 compared to retail prices.

Jon Ostler, CEO at finder.com, advised travellers to use their phones for a quick price check before buying.

He said: "The best thing to do is to research before you buy. Smartphones have made this easier than ever, and a quick check before you hand over the cash could stop you overspending by as much as £35 for bigger ticket items like Ray-Ban sunglasses."

Brits can save money at the airport by avoiding some other common spending traps, Sun Online Travel previously revealed.

Buying currency at the airport can often lead to poor exchange rates, while plastic bottles are a waste when most airports now have free water taps.

Gadgets are also often much cheaper online than they are at the airport.

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