Duty-free Shops, the gateway to save while shopping 

Are you on an international trip and about to leave a country? You may be attracted to various goods on display at numerous centres in that country. Luxury items, cosmetics, perfumes, liquor, cigarettes, other tobacco products, etc. usually find Favour with most of the travellers. And you may purchase some of them while you go sightseeing, shopping etc. No, don’t do that. Why? 

Duty-free shops offer you substantial savings! 

Governments normally charge taxes, duties or other fees on many products, especially luxury goods, liquor etc. In most cases these taxes and duties would be substantially high also.  If you purchase these items from normal stores, you have to pay these duties as per the fixed rates. Result: very high prices.  

Change your purchase to duty-free shops in international airports. Then you experience the joy of reduced prices and considerable savings. How is it? 

How does duty-free shopping work in airports? 

Duty free shops are located in international airports, border towns, ports, cruise ships, as well as on board international flights.  Duty-free shops help you avoid the duties and other fees imposed by the respective government on various luxury items, alcohol, tobacco products etc. If you are about to leave a country that has very high duty on products, purchasing from the duty-free shops helps you save substantially.  

Besides liquor and tobacco products, other items normally found in many duty-free shops include perfumes, high-quality chocolates, electronic items, cosmetics, and other beauty products. Many duty-free shops also sell high-end sunglasses and other fashion accessories, and you may also find some significant luxury watches in those shops.  

The Logic behind duty-free shops 

In simple terms, ‘duty’ is the tax you have to pay for bringing a product to a country from another country.   For example, if you buy a bottle of wine from the US and bring it to Germany, you may have to pay tax on it twice (in US and Germany). To avoid this double taxation,most governments waive the duty tax on products purchased by a customer leaving their country. So, the travellers do not have to pay the tax twice. Duty- free shops cater to these `leaving customers’. These duty-free items can only be purchased when somebody is departing from a country or when crossing into another territory. They are for export only and must be taken out of the country from where they are purchased. 

UK and Duty-free Shops 

After the United Kingdom exited from European Union (Brexit), duty-free shopping is no longer available to travellers flying from the UK to the European Union countries. While one traveller is departing from the UK to any EU country, he is not permitted to purchase duty-free items. However, travellers from the EU to the UK are still permitted to purchase duty-free items. Likewise, travellers from the UK to a non-EU country are also eligible to do shopping from duty-free shops  

Airports in the UK where duty-free shops are available 

Airport 

  Name 

  Location 

Luton Airport 

   Collection Duty-Free 

  After Security clearance 

Heathrow Airport 

   World Duty-Free 

  T2, T3, T4, T5 

Gatwick Airport 

   World Duty-Free 

  Gatwick North and South 

Stansted Airport 

   World Duty-Free 

  Main Terminal, Departure lounge 

 

Make use of the duty-free shops in London airports and save substantially on each purchase.  

Pre-book your journey with Vale cars 

Pre-book your airport journey if you are about to travel abroad in the next few days. Vale cars can guarantee that our on-time airport minicab services are only a phone call away. Our professional drivers will be at your door at the time agreed to collect you and take you to the airport. We keep an eye on your flight times, as per your booking information, so if your flight is delayed you have nothing to worry about. You will arrive safely at the airport with us so you can feel relaxed and not rushed when checking in for your flight, as well as some leisurely duty-free shopping.