Travellers watching what they spend
If you can shop before leaving, compare pack weights and prices per 100g with what is displayed at the airport. A sealed pack bought in advance also gives you a snack ready to carry.
Who is this for?
People buying a snack for one
If you do not want leftovers, check the bag’s net weight and stated servings. A sharing pack is a different purchase from one individual bag, even when its price per 100g is lower.
Travellers with ingredient or allergen requirements
Read the declaration on the exact flavour you plan to buy. Ingredients, suitability statements and may-contain warnings can differ between products from the same brand.
What should you check?
Decide who will eat the crisps and whether you can pack them before travel, then compare unit prices and labels. MoneySuperMarket’s 2025 comparison of eight snacks found that airport purchases cost nearly twice as much as supermarket purchases in that comparison; it was not a crisp-price survey.
Pack before travelling
Choose this when: You have time to shop before the journey and want to compare packs away from the terminal.
Bear in mind: You will need to carry the pack, and food in hand luggage may prompt an additional security check under GOV.UK guidance.
Buy an individual bag
Choose this when: One person wants a snack at the airport without carrying a larger pack onward.
Bear in mind: A lower price per bag does not show how its price per 100g compares with a larger bag.
Buy a pack to share
Choose this when: Several people will eat from it, or you have a plan for the remaining servings.
Bear in mind: Any unit-price advantage matters less if much of the pack goes uneaten.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Compare displayed prices per 100g for comparable crisps. If needed, use the shelf price and net weight to calculate it; compare pre-travel and terminal prices where possible. | I want to know what I am paying for the amount in the bag, not assume the cheaper-looking bag offers better value. |
| Pack size | Check net weight and stated servings. Tyrrells labels its 150g Lightly Sea Salted pack as five 30g servings; that is a different amount from a 25g serving of Walkers Ready Salted. | For one person, I would rather carry a pack I expect to finish. If we are sharing, I can compare larger packs. |
| Ingredients | Read the exact flavour’s ingredients, allergen declaration, may-contain warnings and any dietary-suitability statement on its packet. | A familiar brand or plain-sounding flavour is not enough for me to decide whether this particular pack fits my requirements. |
| Hand luggage | Check your airport’s procedures and your airline’s hand-luggage allowance. GOV.UK says food can obstruct X-ray images and a bag may need a manual check. | If I pack crisps before travelling, I want to allow for the possibility of an extra check at security. |
Common buying mistakes
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Comparing bag prices without checking weight
A 25g serving, a 31.8g bag and a 150g pack contain different amounts of crisps, so their bag prices alone are not a like-for-like comparison.
Compare the displayed price per 100g, then decide whether the amount suits one person or a group.
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Assuming a plain flavour has no allergen warning
Tyrrells says its Lightly Sea Salted crisps may contain milk, while McCoy’s Salted Flavour has may-contain warnings covering milk, soya, gluten and mustard.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packet rather than relying on the flavour name.
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Choosing a sharing pack for one person on unit price alone
A larger pack may be more than one traveller wants during the journey, even if its displayed price per 100g is lower.
Check the number of servings and whether someone else will share the pack or you intend to keep the remainder.
Leftover crisps also mean carrying the opened pack onward.
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Assuming packed food will pass straight through security
GOV.UK says food in hand luggage can obstruct X-ray images, which may lead to a manual bag check.
Keep your pack accessible and check your airport and airline guidance before travelling.
An additional check may take time at security.
Brand and flavour references
These examples show why pack sizes and labels should be checked product by product; a statement about one flavour does not describe every crisp from that brand.
Walkers
Walkers Ready Salted provides a 25g serving for comparison with other individual portions.
- Walkers lists 130 calories and 0.34g salt per 25g serving of Ready Salted.
- Its product information says it is made in a factory that also handles milk, wheat, gluten, barley, soya, celery and mustard.
Tyrrells
Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted is listed in 40g, 150g and 600g formats.
- Tyrrells labels the 150g pack as five servings, giving a basis for deciding whether it suits sharing.
- The Lightly Sea Salted product carries a may-contain-milk warning.
KETTLE Chips
KETTLE Chips Lightly Salted is a product to check when choosing by a stated dietary label.
- KETTLE Chips labels this Lightly Salted product gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- Check the packet for the flavour you select rather than extending those statements to every variant.
Seabrook
Seabrook Sea Salted comes in a 31.8g bag, offering another individual-bag weight to compare.
- Seabrook labels this product gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians; it lists 0.4g salt per bag.
- Those details describe Sea Salted, not every product in the Seabrook range.
McCoy's
McCoy's Salted Flavour is a ridged-crisp reference for shoppers considering a familiar salted flavour.
- McCoy's labels Salted Flavour suitable for vegetarians.
- The same product says it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
REAL describes its range as vegetarian and gluten-free, but individual flavours still need an ingredient check.
- REAL labels Sea Salt & Black Pepper suitable for vegetarians.
- REAL Ham & Colman's Mustard lists lactose (milk) among its ingredients; a vegetarian or gluten-free statement does not establish that a flavour is dairy-free.
Joybuy crisp and potato-snack options
These options include individual bags, multipacks that can be packed before travel and a larger bag that a group could share. Compare their stated weights and check the exact flavour label when choosing.
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Calbee Melty Cheese Pizza Flavour Potato Chips 55g
This 55g bag is an individual pack to compare with other snack sizes. Check the Melty Cheese Pizza flavour’s ingredients and allergen declaration before choosing it.
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McCoy's Ridge Cut Mighty Meaty 6 x 25g
The 6 x 25g format gives you separate portions to pack for several travellers or occasions. Check the allergen declaration for each included flavour rather than applying the label of another McCoy's product to this multipack.
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Walkers Max Paprika 140g
A 140g pack is worth considering when several people plan to share it. Compare its price per 100g with smaller bags, and check the Paprika flavour’s own ingredient and allergen label.
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Walkers Oven Baked Variety Pack Crisps 6 x 22g
Six 22g portions offer a way to pack separate bags before the journey. Check which flavours are included and read each flavour’s ingredient and allergen information.
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Koikeya Karamucho Potato Snack (Flat) 60g
This 60g potato-snack bag offers another individual pack size to compare. Read its exact ingredient and allergen label if flavour or dietary compatibility affects your choice.
Questions about airport crisps
How can I compare crisp value at an airport?
Compare the shelf price per 100g for comparable crisps, as well as the amount you expect to eat. MoneySuperMarket’s 2025 comparison found that eight snacks cost nearly twice as much at airport terminals as at supermarkets, but it did not measure crisp prices specifically; use the prices displayed for the packs you are considering.
Is a bigger bag better value for one traveller?
Not necessarily: its unit price only helps if you want the amount in the bag. Tyrrells labels its 150g Lightly Sea Salted pack as five 30g servings, while Walkers Ready Salted provides a 25g serving. Check pack weight, servings and whether you plan to share or keep any remainder.
Can I carry crisps through UK airport security?
Pack them with the possibility of an additional check in mind. GOV.UK says food in hand luggage can obstruct X-ray images and bags may need manual checking; check your airport’s procedures and your airline’s hand-luggage allowance before travelling.
Are plain salted crisps automatically suitable if I avoid milk or gluten?
No. Read the exact packet: Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted says it may contain milk, and McCoy's Salted Flavour says it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard. KETTLE Chips labels its Lightly Salted product gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians, but that statement should not be assumed for other flavours.