The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today launched a market study into railway station catering.
Railway stations are commercially attractive locations for retailers. Conservative estimates suggests that passenger spending is well in excess of £1 billion per annum and, as rail passenger numbers recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we expect this to be reflected in footfall at rail station retail outlets.
We want to make sure that the market is working as well as possible for passengers. As part of its study to understand potential issues, including barriers for new entrants, ORR has started to gather intelligence on the structure of the market, the effectiveness of competition and outcomes for consumers. ORR has therefore invited submissions from interested parties on the issues raised in the two documents it has published today.
The Statement of Scope and Market Study Notice documents include further details on the subject matter of this study and timing.
Written submissions on the market study should be emailed to [email protected] by 7 July 2023.
Grahame Horgan, ORR’s head of competition, said:
“As consumers across the country are affected by the rising cost of living, we want to ensure that passengers are getting affordable food and beverages when using station facilities. It is important that the railway industry gives consumers good value for money and improves their journey experience.”
Photo credit: ORR
