benjai

Hi sorry I'm not sure where I should ask so please move if this doesn't belong here.

I will be flying to the far east later this week and need to gets months worth of various vitamins from boots. Does anyone know if the airside boots in T5 is actually duty/tax free? Also, normal Boots currently have 3 for 2 on vitamins, do the ones in T5 have the same offer?

Thanks!

criso

Not sure about offers but Boots will deduct 20% VAT off the price if you are flying outside the EU on purchases over Ł5. Stocked up on some creams last week.

Raffles

.... which makes no sense, because the VAT element as a % of the price you pay is 16.67%.

BERbound

And bear in mind it's for items​​​ priced Ł5 and over only.

criso

Phrased it badly. The y deduct the 20%VAt that has been applied but yes not a 20% discount. So a Ł10 item costs Ł12 with VAt but comes down to Ł10 again without.

Light Travellers

You can try calling them to see if its possible to order what you need. Its something we've done with Dixons so I'm sure Boots wont be any different.
I think the number for airside Boots in T5 is 02082837885.

ant_west

I didn't think any of the mainstream shops airside are technically 'duty' or 'tax' free. They set pricing for the market and generally try and pitch cheaper than their high street store or equivalent but I don't believe the pricing is as formulaic as price/1.2.

You can for example buy toothpaste or vitamins at Boots for the same price whether you are flying domestically or internationally (outside EU). They ask for your boarding pass, not to check validity for the lower price but rather so they can demonstrate to HMRC if they can withhold VAT on some items. There was something of a 'scandal' around this a year or 2 ago when the daily papers picked up on it and whether the shops were charging a true duty free price or not. You are not obliged to provide them with your boarding pass where there is no genuine differential pricing.

Note this is different for some alcohol lines and tobacco where they genuinely do offer differential pricing depending on whether you are travelling within or outside the EU. There they do perform a boarding pass check to validate the duty position.

criso

Actually it is as simple as not paying vat. There was a scandal because they were scanning boarding passes, not having to pay vat but keeping the vat collected from the passenger. They then changed.

There is a price on the shelf, if you are travelling to the EU or choose not to hand over your boarding pass, that is the price you pay. This at least for the items I buy regularly, is the same as I would pay on the high street. When you get to the counter, you hand over you boarding pass and if flying outside the EU, a discount is applied equivalent to the vat. Note some items may be zero rated or incur a different rate but for cosmetics, it's 20%.

Some more info https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/boots-wh-smith-airports-tax-money-back-refund-how-does-it-work-explained-a7628956.html

corporate-wage-slave

Yes it does have this offer on at the moment, this photo is from the CCR Boots on a rare occasion when LTN Phobia wasn't in it.



[Having said that, as a scientist I feel duty bound to point out that vitamin pills are up there with the Loch Ness Monster in terms of scientific plausibility].

quakered

QueenOfCoach

Unless a competent doctor has examined the patient, done a blood draw or other testing and has determined a vitamin deficiency in that particular patient and has suggested an over the counter or prescribed vitamin supplement.

MarkFlies

benjai

Thank you criso this is good to know! I knew about the scandal but I wasn't sure what the current situation was. I did call boots T5 earlier today who confirmed that it would be VAT off. I also just checked some of the items in CWS' photo (thanks CWS!) on the website and the price is the same. So if they will deduct VAT from that, with the amount I need to get for the in laws, the savings should be enough to get something expensive to drown my sorrows!

Side note: Boots lady said that they can't reserve things, but you can order online and pick up there. But then you pay the online price and not VAT free which sort of defeats the purpose. She did offer to check the stock they had which is kind of useful.

Ldnn1

Crampedin13A

I'm just happy to get the big bottle of Gaviscon post security before heading off as a precautionary measure