Duty free on comeback trail

Travellers between the UK and EU will be able to sample duty-free shopping again if there is a no-deal Brexit in what chancellor Sajid Javid said last week was a response to travel industry requests for the reintroduction.

The system stopped when the EU Single Market was introduced but if the plan goes ahead, people travelling to the EU will no longer have to pay UK excise duties on cigarettes and alcohol.

The government added people travelling back from the EU will still be able to bring back unlimited amounts for their own use, if they pay duty in Europe

The move will apply in UK ports, airports and international train stations. In one example given by the Treasury, a bottle of wine purchased in Heathrow duty free on the way to the EU could be up to £2.23 cheaper.

At the point of leaving the EU, people can continue to purchase and bring home unlimited alcohol and cigarettes in Europe if they pay duty on it there – as happens now.

People will now also have the alternative option to buy limited amounts of duty-free alcohol and cigarettes at duty-free shops in Europe, meaning a traveller could save more than £12 on two crates of beer.

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury

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