adminSince 31st Jan 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) following Brexit. This resulted in changes to the duty-free shopping rules for UK residents travelling to Spain. Please note that regulations may have changed since then, and it is crucial to check the latest guidelines from official sources before travelling. However, I can provide an overview of how duty-free shopping typically works for UK residents visiting Spain post-Brexit:
- EU Exit and Duty-Free Allowances: After the UK’s exit from the EU, duty-free allowances apply to UK residents travelling to EU countries, including Spain. This means that UK residents can buy goods without paying import duty, excise duty, or VAT (Value Added Tax) on them, as long as they are intended for personal use and not for resale.
- Travelling from the UK to Spain: When travelling from the UK to Spain, you will be allowed certain duty-free allowances for bringing goods back to the UK. These allowances may include alcohol, tobacco, perfume, and other goods, and they are subject to specific limits. For example, you might be able to bring a certain amount of alcohol and tobacco products without paying duties or taxes, but anything exceeding these limits could be subject to taxes and duties.
- Alcohol and Tobacco Allowances: The allowances for alcohol and tobacco can vary, so it is essential to check the current limits before travelling. Typically, the allowances include a certain number of cigarettes or grams of tobacco and a specific quantity of alcohol (e.g., litres of spirits or wine).
- VAT Refunds: When you buy goods in Spain, you may be eligible for a VAT refund on those purchases. Make sure to inquire about the process and any necessary paperwork at the point of purchase to claim the VAT refund before leaving Spain.
- Customs Declaration: When returning to the UK from Spain, you will likely need to complete a customs declaration form if you are bringing back goods that exceed the duty-free allowances. It is essential, to be honest and accurate in your declaration to avoid any potential penalties or confiscation of goods.
Allowances according to Gov.uk at time of writing:
Alcohol allowance
How much you can bring depends on the type of alcohol. You can bring in:
- beer – 42 litres
- wine (still) – 18 litres
You can also bring in either:
- spirits and other liquors over 22% alcohol – 4 litres
- sparkling wine, fortified wine (for example port, sherry) and other alcoholic drinks up to 22% alcohol (not including beer or still wine) – 9 litres
You can split this last allowance, for example, you could bring 4.5 litres of fortified wine and 2 litres of spirits (both half of your allowance).
Tobacco allowance
You can bring in one of the following:
- 200 cigarettes
- 100 cigarillos
- 50 cigars
- 250g tobacco
- 200 sticks of tobacco for electronically heated tobacco devices
You can split this allowance – so you could bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars (both half of your allowance).
Please remember that the duty-free allowances and rules may change over time, and it is always best to verify the current regulations with official sources such as the UK government’s official website or the Spanish authorities’ website before you travel.
Tobacco, cigarettes, cigars and spirits are generally cheaper at the airport, you will find that within Benidorm prices are fixed so there is little point in shopping around.
PRO TIP
Perfume is a very different subject it’s much cheaper than buying in the UK and buying in Benidorm is cheaper than at the airport. Personally, we shop at Druni Perfumerías which is on the main street that runs between the beach and The Old Town on Av. de Martínez Alejos.
On a personal note, my wife loves clothes and shoe shopping as you can get something a little different and generally cheaper than in the UK.
