Food retailers and Guernsey Electricity defend their prices

GUERNSEY Electricity and food retailers have defended their prices after an investigation showed for the first time just how much more expensive Guernsey was than the UK.

Loughborough University's study into the island's minimum income standards revealed the price of everyday commodities such as food and fuel meant that, in general, families needed 20% to 30% more money than UK counterparts.

But, speaking in reaction to claims electricity cost 20% more in Guernsey, Guernsey Electricity managing director Alan Bates (pictured) said it was impossible to fairly compare prices with the UK.

'Economies of scale affect all businesses in Guernsey, including utilities such as electricity, oil and gas,' he said.

Channel Islands Co-operative chief commercial officer Jim Plumley defended the supermarket chain after the investigation showed, when comparing prices to Tesco, islanders were 36% worse off.

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