Other cinema snacks like hot dogs, Pick ‘n’ Mix and drinks
Cinema popcorn tops the list of items consumers believe to be the most overpriced
Hotel mini-bar drinks and snacks
Age matters
When it comes to spending on these overpriced items, younger people are more likely to buy them even though they think they’re too expensive.
39% of 18-24-year-olds said they always buy them.
Only 3% say they never would.
This compares with 22% of those aged 55+ saying they never would, while only 18% of over 55s always end up buying them.
Overpriced items that really annoy consumers
Looking at the top overpriced items, shoppers say the cost of popcorn and other cinema snacks grinds their gears the most.
28% are annoyed at the cost of popcorn and a further 26% get frustrated by the price of other cinema snacks
22% say fuel prices really rile them
16% are unhappy with the price of sanitary products
11% say branded over-the-counter medication is one of the most annoying unnecessary costs
9% chose razor blades and the same say it’s bottled water that’s the most annoying
1 in 10
people in Leicester are angered by the cost of toilet roll
The cost of a takeaway coffee riles Geordies up the most
Those living in Plymouth and Edinburgh are most likely to get annoyed at the price of a pint
Which are the non-essential items Brits think are overpriced but end up buying anyway?
22%17%17%16%15%Top locations that mark-up the prices
Instead, savvy shoppers have nifty ways of avoiding having to fork out when they’re visiting these locations. So, next time you’re on a road trip and want to avoid paying over-the-odds at the service station, why not pick up one of these tips instead?
take something homemade
buy from somewhere else nearby
find a discount code to get money off
don’t bother buying anything at all
- 22%
- 21%
- 46%
- 39%
- 16%
How do Brits across the country avoid paying over-the-odds?
People in Norwich are more likely not to bother buying anything at all when visiting these places than anywhere else in the country – 16%
More than 1 in 5 people in Leeds (21%) try to find a discount code – more so than anywhere else in the country
Those in Belfast are more likely than anywhere else to take something from their house that they’d already bought (22%), while Liverpudlians take something homemade (46%)
People in Brighton are more likely than anywhere else to go somewhere nearby to buy it cheaper (39%)
Pricey services
It’s not just products that we think are overpriced – we’re not too happy about the cost of certain services either.
Top services Brits feel are most overpriced
39%
Utilities e.g. gas, electricity, water
33%
Black cabs/taxis
33%
Public transport e.g. trains/buses
21%
Broadband and line rental
20%
Mobile phone contracts
Notes to editors:
The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers (RWB) between 21st May 2019 and 23rd May 2019. The sample comprised 2,020 UK adults. All research conducted adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2014). RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (1998).
