Tesco launches Holiday Calling Card to ease consumer debts

Tesco will launch its first Holiday Card in mid July after research exposed the hidden cost of calling home whilst abroad.

Holiday phone calls are having a big effect on people’s financial means, as the rising cost of calling landlines in the UK from abroad has led to a rise in debts.

One in six people feels as though they have been ripped off when calling home, according to an investigation conducted by Tesco Calling Card.

Tesco’s new Holiday Calling Card, which can be used from any landline, has been designed to lessen this financial load. A Tesco spokesperson commented: “This little card should be part of our packing preparation as it means people can call without the worry of unforeseen costs or big bills on their return home.”

Brits spend £750million every year on calls home during their holidays, the Office for National Statistics has revealed.

Around 61 per cent of holidaymakers call home up to five times whilst away.

The average cost of a European hotel phone call to the UK is more than 60p per minute, causing people to feel the financial burden of calls to loved ones while abroad.

Tesco’s Holiday Card is intended for use in four top holiday destinations, France Greece, Portugal and Spain – which was exposed as having the most expensive hotel phone charges, with a ten minute call back to the UK from a hotel phone costing more than £10.60.

By contrast, the Holiday Calling Card operates at a flat rate across the four countries, charging 10p per minute to a UK landline, and 20p per minute to a UK mobile.

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