Originally Posted by
Retron
We went through customs (nothing to declare, of course, although it did make me wonder... if we'd brought the Japan allowance of duty free (which is 2.2 litres of spirits), would we have had to declare it as it exceeded the UK limits? Luckily that didn't apply, as we hadn't bought anything).
Purchases are supposed to returned to the retailer as the condition of sale is that an entitled passenger (travelling to a non-EU destination) exports the goods. As the flight was delayed overnight, this would not be possible and you would leave the airport without doing so.
That's what the law says. As to how it works in practice? it's an administrative hassle and I doubt that it's particularly well enforced.