Britain has urged private Covid-19 test firms to stop exploiting travellers, after a former competitions chief said the market was a “rip-off jungle”, reports AFP.

“We've been clear it is unacceptable for any private testing company to take advantage of holidaymakers," the Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement. “The government has taken action to drive down the cost of tests for international travel.”

Earlier, Lord Andrew Tyrie, former chairperson of the Competition and Markets Authority, labelled the Covid-19 tests market a “rip off jungle”.

Tyrie told BBC that “misleading online advertisements, overpricing [and] unacceptably poor service ... are still widespread” in the market. “To allow this to continue over the peak Christmas period would be scandalous,” he warned.