Nearly Eight In 10 Believe Seasonal Prices Are 'inflated And Unfair'

Half of Brits said that holiday and travel costs are unfair, along with family days out and festivals

The most unreasonably priced summertime things are family days out, festivals and events, according to a poll of 2,000 people. Having to work on a sunny day, overcrowded beaches and higher food and drink prices are also among factors stopping people enjoying the perfect summer. One in 10 Brits are irked that a ‘99 Flake’ now costs far more than 99p.

The poll also revealed the top 25 things which get in the way of enjoying the warmer months, including pricey holidays, packed pub gardens and sweaty public transport.

One in six adults feel summer never quite lives up to expectations – despite it still being the nation’s favourite season.

Nine in 10 Brits look forward to the season, with 39% claiming it’s their favourite. However, 13% believe summer is often ‘better in theory than reality’.

A separate poll of 2,000 adults, also carried out for giffgaff via OnePoll, found 45% of adults are most likely to experience FOMO (fear of missing out) during the summer months. Of those, 53% say missing plans or events stops them fully enjoying the season.

Cost plays a role for 31%, while work commitments leave 36% feeling left out.

Holidays abroad (36%), festivals or concerts (27%) and major sporting events (15%) are among the experiences people most often miss.

With the World Cup in full swing, many are determined not to miss a moment – with 15% even admitting to watching sport on their phones at work. Meanwhile, 23% have found ways to watch their favourite team while on holiday.

Half also cited holiday and travel costs as being unfair, with nearly three in 10 having experienced unexpected roaming charges abroad. In general, 59% believe it’s easy to get caught out by hidden costs from connectivity providers.

The research was commissioned by giffgaff, which has launched its Fair-play Summer Fund to give people the chance to fix an unfair summer moment.

giffgaff is offering unlimited data for £14 and broadband for £5 a month, giving people more money to spend on those moments that matter.

Kate Dohaney, CEO for the mobile and broadband provider, said: “Summer is the season we spend all year looking forward to, but our research shows that for many people it comes with catches. From rising costs and hidden charges to missing out on experiences, too many people feel summer doesn’t always play fair.

“We’re on a mission to tackle some of summer’s stings, by helping people with data and broadband for less, so they have more money to spend on those moments that matter.”