Sainsbury's 'husband' valentine card pricier than 'wife'

Sainsbury's has promised to retail cards at the same price after it was found selling cards for husbands at a higher cost than those for wives.

A Valentine's card for a wife costs £2, despite looking remarkably similar to one for a husband, priced at £2.50.

Higher priced cards were found by the BBC in Stoke-on-Trent, but are believed to have been sold across the Midlands.

The supermarket said it would make sure both the cards were priced at £2 from Thursday.

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Listeners to BBC Radio Stoke said they felt it was "shocking" and shoppers in the city-centre area of Hanley said it was "not fair" and women were being "ripped off".

Dr Panos Sousounis, a lecturer in economics and finance at Keele University, suggested the pricing may be due to assumptions about women's shopping habits.

"Retailers think that women are more willing to spend more money on a Valentine's card," he said.

"So they price it a little bit higher."