Price will increase at Costa have despatched sure espresso choices hovering previous the £6 a cup mark, a Sunday Express investigation has discovered.

The chain’s 2,600 UK retailers at the moment are charging as much as £6.65 for improvised variations of their lattes, mochas and cappuccinos.

The fancier brews characteristic additional photographs, specialist milks, marshmallows and chocolate toppings.

Basic variations of the identical drinks nonetheless price £3-£4 in smaller sizes.

The worth hikes imply a cup of espresso may now price greater than three pints of Worthington’s Creamflow at Wetherspoon’s Red Lion department in Doncaster.

A big mocha served with c coconut milk, two additional photographs, hazelnut syrup and whipped cream at some London cafes will now price as a lot as £6.60.

Costs have been pushed up by inflation, with Costa estimating the rises have added 25p to every merchandise.

A Costa spokeswoman mentioned: “Like all retailers we are facing unprecedented inflationary pressures resulting in increased costs.

“We know our customers are feeling the pressure too, which is why we have been absorbing costs wherever we can.

“Despite this we’ve made the difficult decision to increase prices to ensure we can continue to invest in our people, products and stores.”

Starbucks fees £6.15 for a grande latte as soon as an additional shot of espresso, caramel drizzle, whipped cream and cinnamon dolce syrup have been added. And at Caffe Nero a grande cappuccino, with two added photographs of the one origin espresso mix, coconut milk and vanilla syrup will price £5.95.

Our analysis comes as Costa confirms it has elevated costs for the third time in 15 months by between 5p and 25p on well-liked menu selections attributable to “inflationary pressures”.

These observe an 18 p.c rise in “pour-yourself” drink costs at 12,000 Costa Express machines final September.

Reports counsel Costa’s robust post-pandemic gross sales figures helped increase the total 12 months 2022 income of dad or mum firm Coca-Cola to £34.6 billion.

The agency purchased Costa in 2018 for £3.9 billion. But final evening unbiased client champion Martyn James criticised the newest will increase.

He mentioned: “To see Costa Coffee’s prices creeping up to £7 a drink is shocking. With high streets already struggling and flexible working reducing footfall, it seems silly to price out loyal customers who are in serious danger of seeing coffee as a luxury they can live without.”