Household Goods Cheaper on Continent, Says Survey

Shopping is cheaper in France and Belgium, not just for alcohol but for a whole range of goods, according to a Which? magazine survey published today.

The price of purchases in Europe is becoming the battleground for arguments about the euro. The Which? figures follow a report by investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein earlier this week, which concluded that while prices had been rounded up in many countries joining the euro, they were on average still 12% higher in Britain than in the euro zone.

Which? investigators set out to buy a range of electrical goods and sports and fashion items on the continent and concluded that "great savings can be made across the board by shopping in France and Belgium, not just on booze," editor Helen Parker said.

Prices on electrical goods often beat UK high street prices, although in some cases UK internet-only retailers matched the French prices. Researchers found 28in widescreen Philips and Sony televison sets costing 20% less in Darty, Calais, than in high street stores in the UK such as John Lewis and Comet, a saving of between £93 and £143.

Significant savings could also be made on eyewear and household goods. Le Creuset pans were widely available in hypermarkets on the continent at around half the price they are sold in the UK.

Skiing, skating, cycling and windsurfing equipment was all found at bargain prices compared to the UK.

The pro-euro lobby group Britain in Europe said that the Which? survey highlighted the extent to which Britain was a "rip-off".