Starbucks is peddling the worst coffee at the highest prices according to a survey of the big three coffee houses on Britain's high streets.

A report published today calculates that choosing the world’s largest coffee chain instead of an independent shop for your cappuccino three mornings a week will cost you £126 a year.

The Which? Magazine survey did not stop at lamenting the cost of a Starbucks, it also placed the global brand at the bottom of its taste test. It concluded that when it came to too much water in an Americano and a surfeit of froth on a cappuccino, “Starbucks was the worst offender”.

Despite a difficult year in which revenue fell for the first time since 1992, Starbucks is still by far the biggest coffee chain on the planet with more than 15,000 stores in 44 countries.

Caffe Nero came top of the survey with the cheapest coffee and the highest score for taste. The independent UK chain proved cheaper than Starbucks and Costa for a cappuccino and a pastry. Despite its lower prices, Nero also used twice as much coffee as standard in its regular and large drinks. Costa and Starbucks used a single shot of espresso and more water as opposed to the double shot in Nero coffees.

The report also examined the calorie content of coffees across the big three. The full range of drinks ran from 17 calories in a black Americano to a white chocolate mocha with whip and whole milk from Starbuck that came in at 628 calories – more than a quarter of recommended daily calorie intake.

The sandwiches available in the coffee shops also came under scrutiny, with several found to contain more calories, fat and salt than a McDonald’s Big Mac.

Four sandwiches at Starbucks and four at Costa exceeded the 495 calories in a Big Mac. Fat content in four Costa sandwiches, five from Starbucks and one from Caffe Nero was higher than the burger and 32 sandwiches from the three shops had more salt than a Big Mac.

COFFEE PRICES

Starbucks

Medium cappuccino £2.29; single espresso £1.40

Costa coffee

Medium cappuccino £2.27; single espresso £1.33

Caffe Nero

Medium cappuccino £1.80; single espresso £1.25

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