Duty Free Shop airport | LHR | London Heathrow Terminal 3
United Kingdom UK Scotland, N Ireland, Wales, England
LHR | London Heathrow Terminal 3
Duty Free shopping, UK-EU Brexit process: The regulations and information stated below will not change until the British exit process has been confirmed.
European Union Arrivals and Departures duty free airport shopping: This is an EU Member State, Duty Free and Tax-Free sales are not permitted for intra-EU travellers, nor can you usually buy Tax-Free or Duty Free goods on arrival at an EU airport when arriving from outside The EU.
Airports in the EU have 'Travel Shops' where the goods are competitively priced for the passenger, these sales are often called 'Travel Value Shopping'.
Many EU airports now have arrival shops where you can buy goods in the baggage claim area, more are opening all the time. But, the stores located in this airport for arriving passengers, regardless of where you arrive from, are all tax and duty paid shopping conditions. Whereas, outbound passengers flying to a non-EU destination, can buy their duty free and tax-free goods from shops in the departure lounge. These goods must be exported to a non EU Country.
Occasionally domestic and some airports retailers advertise their goods as duty free or tax-free, but for EU travel or for shopping on arrival, this normally means that the prices are special promotional or discounted offers. The only tax free goods available in domestic shops throughout the EU, are those offered under the VAT/IVA Sales Tax Refund shopping scheme.
Airlines operating on routes within the European Community maintain a carry-on baggage limit and this could restrict your shopping in the airport. If you buy your goods on arrival at the airport and then pack them in your checked baggage for your return journey, this potential problem is resolved. The same applies for the transit of liquids, known as LAGS.
If you are arriving from outside The European Union into an airport located in an EU Member State and then connecting on a flight to another EU destination, you will not be able to buy duty free goods, such as liquors and tobaccos, at duty-free prices.
What can you buy at the airport for this journey? Other goods, like perfumes, cosmetics and gifts are available at competitive 'tax-free' equivalent prices. Any available alcohol and tobacco sales, for EU-transfer passengers, are tax and duty-paid goods.
Some airline and airport retailers are yet to publish their online duty free prices and catalogues, others have now started incorporating online pre-order facilities.
We will publish the details for this airport as soon as they are available and where relevant to this airport, publish the airline in-flight price list, enabling you to make a comparison of the available products and prices.
If no local sites are available, we will provide links to a site where you can best check prices.