Tourists heading to top holiday destination Greece this July are being warned not to fall victim to a ‘scam’ involving bottled water following a change in the law.

Greece has long been a top holiday destination for British tourists, from capital Athens to the stunning islands like Rhodes, Crete and Mykonos.

But the laws on bottled water were changed for locals in Greece from July 1 and it is expected to have an unfortunate knock-on effect on unsuspecting tourists.

A small bottle of water from July 1 costs 60 cents, up from the long fixed price of 50 cents. The price is capped by government at 60 cents per bottle.

The price increase comes in at the same time as a new Deposit Return System (DRS), which is a new green tax applied to bottled products. Customers will be refunded through a voucher every time they bring a bottle back, similar to a scheme which existed in the UK in the 1970s.

However, the 60 cent price cap on bottled water only applies to 500ml bottles, and 750ml bottles can be charged at a much higher price. 

In many tourist hotspots like airports, ferries, bus stations and in the Acropolis and other sightseeing destinations, the 500ml bottles, capped in price, are not sold. Instead, only 750ml bottles – not subject to the price cap – are available.

If you’re going to Greece this summer, be on the lookout for 500ml water bottles and stock up where you can to avoid overpaying for 750ml.