The wonderful words “Duty Free” for avid travelers are a bit of a magic spell. Most of all, this concept is familiar to people who often travel by plane. Now we’ll just talk about duty-free shops, what it is and why, being at the airport, you should definitely visit at least some of them.
Goods that arrive at duty-free shops are not subject to any duties or taxes. This is due to the fact that formally the purchase and sale of goods is carried out outside state borders. And this means that in duty-free you can buy almost anything that you want, paying for this amount, much less than in stores.
What can I buy in duty free? What is it and what products are most popular? Most often in shops at airports you can find tobacco products and alcoholic drinks, interesting souvenirs and toys, high-quality perfumes and cosmetics. There are even accessories and clothing brands with a worldwide reputation! However, traditionally the biggest excitement is precisely cigarettes and alcohol from duty free. There is a simple explanation for this: almost everywhere, in addition to duty-free shops, these groups of goods are subject to the highest taxes. Compared with the prices in stores in the city, their cost at the airport can be 40-50% lower.
Nevertheless, speaking about duty free, what is it, and what are the advantages of buying goods at such points, it is important to note one fact: you can buy anything in them only if you have a passport and a boarding pass coupon, which confirm that you are leaving the country or have just arrived at the airport.
Depending on the country and the specific city, the range and cost of products can vary greatly. So, Dubai is considered one of the richest cities in this regard. However, the difference is not only this: in each Duty Free store there are some restrictions on the purchase of goods of one kind or another, or rather on their import and export from the state. In practice, it looks like this: for example, flying out of Turkey, tourists can take with them no more than 8 liters of whiskey.
How much does a particular product cost in duty free? As mentioned above, this largely depends on the country where you are located. Traditionally, the most expensive stores can be found in Sweden, Belgium, the UK and France. But in Spain, Italy or Bulgaria, prices are much lower. The most attractive prices can boast of the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt, however, the quality of products in these countries is somewhat lower.
Now you know more about duty free. What it is, and how you can save on purchases, you understand. Finally, it is worth mentioning which goods are traditionally purchased in different countries. For example, Goa's guests, instead of ordinary alcoholic drinks, almost always seek to buy exotic local fen moonshine cooked on apples, coconuts and cashews. And, let’s say, in Viennese Dyutik you can perfectly buy in boutiques like Etro, Boss, Burberry, etc.
Alcohol in Duty Free stores is about 2 times cheaper. This is especially true for strong drinks such as cognac, rum and whiskey. But when it comes to cosmetics and perfumes, then at a cost they are not much cheaper than those that can be bought in stores. However, in terms of quality, they are several times higher. Approximately 10-15% cheaper in duty free shops are jewelry, as well as jewelry. In particular, this applies to fashionable elite Swarovski jewelry.