Heathrow slams price comparison as ‘misleading’

News at Heathrow 23/08/2010

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London Heathrow airport says a comparison of duty-free prices is based on inaccurate data.

Heathrow airport has strongly condemned a study by online shopping-comparison shopping site Kelkoo. The report by Kelkoo found that London Heathrow airport offers the worst prices on duty-free products out of all airports in Europe. The airport responded by criticizing Kelkoo’s report, which was published on 16 August, as misleading and incorrect. The airport says the study includes products not sold at London Heathrow.

In its report, Kelkoo found that tax-free products offer at European airports were cheaper by 6.2 per cent on average. The survey found Heathrow airport offered the worst discounts of any of Europe’s major airports - just 3.1 per cent. Kelkoo found the best tax-free savings at French airports. Paris Charles de Gaulle and Lyon St Exupery came out on top, offering savings of 11.5 per cent and 11.9 per cent, respectively.

The comparison was run as a mystery shopping exercise. The prices of 22 products in a variety of product categories and locations were surveyed. Prices were compared to recommended retail prices in high-street outlets. The price for an Apple iPad was varied from £579 in Britain to £556 in Rome. However, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair was priced at just £46 in Gatwick Airport but cost £90 in France. Heathrow, the world’s second-largest duty-free market, said it confused by Kelkoo’s findings and said the comparison is based on inaccurate prices.

Tour firms knock off 75% as 1.5 million holidays unsold : 2010 : Delta Airlines to introduce more competition at Heathrow

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