Small firms ‘ripped off’

Small businesses are being ripped off by billions of pounds a year for goods and services because they pay more than larger firms, a report claimed today.

A study of more than 1,000 small enterprises by purchasing website Huddlebuy.com found that companies with fewer than ten staff paid almost 10 per cent more for goods and services.

A small company starting up faces an extra bill of £1,200 a year compared with an established large firm, said the report.

Saurav Chopra, chief executive of Huddlebuy.com, said the results of the study were “shocking”, adding: “Small businesses fighting to survive are being ripped off by greedy suppliers.”