News Copy - By Alice Hughes
Hospital car parking, food at the cinema and two-year phone contracts are among life’s biggest rip-offs, according to a study.
The study of 2,000 adults found eight in 10 believe there are ‘too many rip-offs in modern life’ in every area from eating, communicating and travelling.
Further overpriced products were found to be TV licenses, ‘anything’ at the airport and estate agent fees.
Buying food out was found to be a big rip-off, as a glass of wine in a restaurant, food on a plane and having to pay more to ‘eat in’ made the list.
Almost one quarter have even considered moving to another country to get away from ‘rip off Britain’.
One sixth believe two-year phone contracts are a rip-off and 61 per cent would consider using a service which automatically finds them the cheapest mobile phone provider.
The research was commissioned by SMARTY, tying in with the introduction of Auto-Switch on July 1st.
Under new regulations, all mobile providers will introduce Auto-Switch as a simplified way for consumers to switch between providers, this will ensure customers only have to contact their current provider once in order to move away from them.
SMARTY’s spokeswoman Jasmine Birtles said: “The results prove just how common rip-offs and hidden charges are and how frustrated Brits are at getting caught out by them.
“It’s shocking how much activities such as going to the cinema, to a theme park or even just a restaurant can set people back.
“Honesty will help customers trust companies more and with Auto-Switch it’s easier and more efficient to get out of a mobile contract instead of feeling stuck.”
The research also found Brits feel they get fleeced by something which is overpriced at least five times during the average week.
And more than half – 54 per cent – believe they get ripped off by something on a daily basis.
As a result, seven in 10 prefer to ‘shop around’ for items rather than buy the first thing they see.
A further 73 per cent admitted they think ‘better’ of a brand if they are more upfront about their charges and costs, with more than half of adults finding ‘hidden charges’ very annoying.
And 82 per cent who were polled via OnePoll agree more should be done to prevent companies adding hidden charges.
It also emerged the average adult will spend around £20 in hidden charges during one month, with delivery charges, paying on a credit card and booking flights the most common situations to be stung.
Due to rip-offs and charges, four in 10 have complained to a company because they found their prices too high and two thirds of those ended up receiving a reduction.
But a hidden cost would need to be an average of £7.58 before Brits would consider raising a complaint.
OFCOM’s Auto-Switch lands on July 1st 2019. Further information on SMARTY can be found at www.smarty.co.uk
Life’s biggest rip offs according to Brits:
1. Hospital car parking
2. Food at the cinema
3. Parking in major cities
4. TV license
5. Online booking fees
6. Anything at airports
7. Council tax
8. Estate agency fees
9. Mini bars in hotel rooms
10. Sky TV
11. Football shirts
12. Petrol
13. Branded paracetamol
14. A trip to the dentist
15. Sports and concert tickets
16. Glass of wine in restaurants
17. Food on a plane
18. Takeaway coffee
19. First class on trains
20. Line rental
21. Cigarettes
22. Gym memberships
23. Tuition fees
24. Tourist attractions
25. Vets
26. Paying to sit on deck chairs at the beach
27. Having to pay more to ‘eat in’
28. Keyrings or pictures at theme parks
29. Prescriptions
30. Christmas
31. Gas
32. A single packet of crisps
33. Diesel
34. Two-year phone contracts
35. Phone insurance
36. Spectacles and lenses
37. ‘Healthy’ food
38. Broadband
39. Takeaway pizza
40. Perfume
ENDS
