Which? attacks poor value of motorway services catering

01 May 2009

Which? Car has attacked the poor value on offer at the UK's motorway services, and suggested travellers trying to save money this summer buy food from supermarkets instead.

The magazine, part of consumer group Which?, visited 51 sites around the UK from Folkestone to Stirling to check on the British service station and its catering options as its celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Which? Car's researchers found bottles of water on sale at four times the price they'd cost in a local supermarket and cappuccino that cost £2.99.

The researchers also found significant mark-ups at motorway petrol stations, where a basket of goods from Sainsbury's priced £5.48 went for £10.31 at Moto Reading on the M4 (the most expensive) and £7.49 at Cairn Lodge at Happendon on the M74 (the cheapest).

However, Which? Car, did find the standard of the services' toilets to be generally impressively clean and well-presented.

Richard Headland, editor of Which? Car, said: "If you're trying to save this summer, buy food and drinks from a supermarket in advance."

Welcome Break signs deal with Waitrose >>

Roadside catering sector stagnating, claims new report >>

Motorway services provider Welcome Break sold >>

RoadChef owner denies sale >>

Moto Hospitality loses compensation fight >>

By Chris Druce

E-mail your comments to Chris Druce here.

Caterersearch.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Caterersearch.com jobs

[Newsletters For the latest hospitality news, sign up for our e-mail newsletters.

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking