June airport rule change will see some people pay five times as much

Holidaymakers travelling from the UK’s major airports will spend nearly twice as much on travel essentials compared to those flying from airports that have scrapped the 100ml rule. Just London City, Teesside and Aberdeen airport have installed new 3D scanners in time for the summer holidays.

That comes despite all airports originally saying they would have the scanners by June. Delving into the price history data across hundreds of personal care products, price comparison site idealo.co.uk has found that travel-sized minis cost, on average, 218% more than full-sized products per ml.

A 500ml bottle of Listerine mouthwash can be picked up for just £1 online but a 95ml equivalent costs the same. This means that holidaymakers restricted by the 100ml limit will be paying up to five times more per ml and getting less product for their pound.

When it comes to haircare, £2.25 is the average price for a small 50ml of Batiste dry shampoo which is four times more expensive than the 200ml option. Without the 100ml rule, shoppers can get their hands on 150ml more for just 1p extra.

As for hot weather essentials like suncream and moisturisers, travel-sized products are twice the price of larger quantities on average. For example, a 100ml bottle of Ultrasun SPF 30 costs £14 but for just £5 more, shoppers could be getting double the protection.

With searches for “100ml holiday essentials” breaking out on Google over the last 30 days, Katy Phillips, Senior Brand and Communications Manager at idealo.co.uk, has provided tips to reduce spend whilst adhering to the liquid restrictions still in place this Summer.

• Check online for deals where you can buy mini-items in bulk. Retailers often offer 2-4-1s and buy-one-get-one-free discounts that can reduce the overall price of your shop.

• Invest in reusable travel-sized containers that can be filled from full-sized bottles you already have in the house.

• Preparation is key, don’t leave it too late to purchase your holiday essentials. Set product alerts which can inform price drops.

Katy said: “Shopping for holiday toiletries can often end up being expensive once you’ve factored in daily hygiene, suncare and other items like bug repellents. Looking at our data, it’s clear to see that the 100ml rule creates another barrier when it comes to keeping costs down ahead of your holiday.

“Whilst it’s exciting to see the liquid restrictions being lifted in some cases, until all the airports opt-in we hope our product data and tips can support those about to purchase multiple mini’s ahead of their holiday.”