Wonder if the management of the “local” Little Waitrose stores, part of John Lewis, would ever guarantee to price match against their own big brother Waitrose main stores?

We ask this noting that some prices charged in Little Waitrose outlets are far higher for the same item than those charged by a large Waitrose. As an example one favourite product of ours is the 150 gramme jar of Waitrose own brand crisp and sweet cocktail gherkins, sold at the Waitrose in Swaffham, Norfolk for £1.19. The same item is on sale at Little Waitrose in Tottenham Court Road for £2.09, or more than 80% more.

The time-honoured and proud boast of John Lewis, and more recently their Waitrose outlets, is that they are “never knowingly undersold” and will refund the difference if it can be proven that the same item can be bought more cheaply elsewhere, excepting online and mail-order traders.

Question is, does this marketing gimmick and customer confidence booster apply to differences in pricing between the same goods in its own stores? And how many other products cost 80% more at Little Waitrose? We really should be told.