Shoppers in different parts of the country face a “postcode lottery”, with some paying an extra £500 for the same basket of goods.

Kelkoo, the online shopping comparison site, studied the price of a bundle of 200 items in 12 locations across Britain in a bid to identify price disparity. Researchers visited the same shops in the chosen areas concentrating on electrical goods, homeware, fashion, sports, stationery, toys and entertainment.

The study showed that some shoppers are paying £537 more for the same items although the average difference was calculated to be a more modest 4%.

Swindon is the most expensive area in the country, with prices £171 above the country’s average. London, surprisingly, is the cheapest, at £366 below the national average, according to the report.

The cost of electrical goods alone was £445 lower in London than it was in Wrexham.

Chris Simpson, marketing director of Kelkoo, said: “Retail sales have continued to suffer since the start of the year, which puts retailers under constant pressure to maintain the balancing act of offering discounts and special offers, whilst still protecting their profit margins.

“For those with a nationwide store network, factors such as the store type and location, local competition, and the regional micro-economic environment all contribute to the regional pricing strategy. Ultimately, this means that prices on the same goods can vary between one part of the UK and another.

“We would always encourage consumers to compare prices both online and offline before they make a decision, particularly on big ticket items.”

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