The best places to shop for duty-free items

Many British airport retailers aren't passing on the tax savings to customers. Here are the best and worst places to buy duty-free around the world.

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Most people don't bat an eyelid when asked to show their boarding card for purchases in the departure lounge, assuming that it's needed for security purposes. But that's not the case. There's no legal requirement to check boarding passes, unless you are buying duty-free goods, such as alcohol or tobacco. The reason shops ask for them for other items is because VAT is not payable on goods sold to travellers who are flying outside of the European Union the boarding pass is required as proof.

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