Apple iPad 2 and Nintendo 3DS launch and buyerswill pay more in UK than US

Add to My Stories They are the cutting edge gadgets that promise to change the face of gaming and mobile computing.But as Apple and Nintendo launch their latest technological advances in the UK tomorrow, one thing hasnt changed the hefty premium for being a British consumer. Both the Nintendo 3DS console and Apple iPad 2 will be significantly more expensive than they are in the U.S.

Atlantic price gap: The Nintendo 3DS - UK cost is 229.99, U.S. cost is 167.66. Meanwhile the iPad 2 in the UK costs 659 and in the U.S. it's 554.18While the official UK price for the Nintendo device stands at 229.99, a shrewd purchase in New York might set you back as little as 167.66, including sales tax.This means British consumers paying an extra 62.33, or 37 per cent compared with the U.S.The console, which goes on sale in the UK at midnight, is the first handheld device to offer games, entertainment and films in 3D without the need for special glasses.For iPad fans the news is just as depressing. The second generation of the pioneering tablet computer, which is thinner, lighter and faster than its predecessor, could cost 100 more here than it does in the U.S.

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The iPad 2 goes on sale in the UK at 5pm tomorrow.The starting price, including VAT, for the basic 16GB model is 399. That is 64.75, or around 20 per cent, more than the price a New York shopper would pay, again including the citys sales tax.
The highest-spec model is 659 here including VAT, compared! with 55 4.18 in New York. This means a British consumer will pay 104.82 more than their American counterpart. The differential can be explained partly by the fact that Britains VAT of 20 per cent is more than double the 8.875 per cent maximum in New York.

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However, even taking this into account, it seems technology giants continue to see Britain as a Treasure Island where they can get away with charging more. Some UK retailers are attempting to soften the blow with special deals.Currys.digital is opening up two stores, one in Oxford Street, London, and another in Birmingham, just before midnight tonight with a promise to let the first 150 customers have the Nintendo 3DS console for 179.But mark-ups are not unique to technological products. Fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Zara and Gap have been reported doing similar things. And historically, British consumers have also paid more for cars than buyers in Europe.Manufacturers insist that where prices are higher this is because it is more expensive to do business in this country as a result of high rent, rates and staff costs. Successive governments have promised to tackle the high prices in rip-off Britain.But the current Government is pulling apart the nations consumer protection regime and scrapping the Office of Fair Trading.The latest hikes come as figures this week revealed inflation has risen sharply to 4.4 per cent.