Prisoners can buy snacks, cigarettes and toiletries cheaper than at a cut-price supermarket.
A Sunday Post probe has discovered cons at some of Scotland’s toughest nicks get their groceries in jail shops at hugely discounted rates.
Among the bargains are a pack of 10 Lambert & Butler for £3.90, Mars Bars for 43p and Nivea face cream at £1.50.
These are all significantly lower than the prices paid in supermarket chain Morrisons, which has cut costs in a hope of regaining customers who have deserted them for Lidl and Aldi.
Prisoners who work behind bars get a wage of up to £20 a week, but even those who do nothing get pocket money to snap up the bargains.
Last night victims’ groups and campaigners hit out.
Margaret Watson, of Justice for Victims, said: “These people are in prison, not a holiday camp. The very best they should get should be the same prices the public pay.
“This will annoy people at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet.”
The list of groceries available to inmates was published by the Scottish Prison Service. It shows the savings to be had at Addiewell, Low Moss, Barlinnie and Glenochil jails.
A comparison of identical items on sale at Morrisons found jails were far cheaper.
For example, a pack of 10 Lambert & Butler cost £3.90 in Glenochil but £4.33 in Morrisons. A 10 pack of Kensitas Club costs £4.62 in shops but £4.20 in Barlinnie.
Prisoners can get Doritos chilli crisps which cost 60p in the supermarket for just 39p in Addiewell.
Differences also include Mars Bars and Snickers which are 43p in prison but 60p at Morrisons.
In Low Moss, cons can treat themselves to Nivea face cream at £1.50 instead of the £2 paid in Morrisons, Lynx Shower gel Africa at £2 instead of £2.37 and Brylcreem Strong gel for £2.85 instead of £3.35.
David Sinclair, of Victim Support Scotland, said: “There will be victims of crimes upset by this but as an organisation we feel it’s up to the Scottish Prison Service.”
Andy Silvester, of the Taxpayers Alliance, added: “Committing a crime should come with a punishment, not discount groceries.
“Prisons are enormously expensive to run, so prison bosses must maximise all the revenue streams they have available to them. That’s clearly not the case here.
“Families across the country are making cutbacks in their weekly shop, and they’ll be rightly angry that prisoners seem exempt from just that.”
But jail bosses defended the prices.
A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “If prisoners wish to buy personal items then they can only be sourced through the canteen facility.
“Prices are set locally and do vary slightly from prison to prison. Any income is channelled to the benefit of prisoners themselves.”
Cons earn money to spend from doing odd jobs such as laundry or cooking, which can net them up to £20 a week in wages.
But even those who don’t work still get pocket money each week estimated at around £5 for each prisoner subsidised by the taxpayer.
Prison prices
Doritos crisps 60p down to 39p
Lynx shower gel £2.37 down to £2.00
Snickers 60p down to 43p
Mars 60p down to 43p
Brylcreem £3.35 down to £2.85
Lambert and Butler cigarettes £4.33 down to £3.90
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