And can decipher what these verbatim quotes from the airport website mean?
"Purchases BEFORE security must be placed in your permitted hand baggage and are subject to the restrictions on liquid products.

AFTER security you can shop freely and take all products on board to all destinations.

These purchases do not have to be carried on board in your hand baggage."

So can you buy duty free to go to the US? And have it in a carrier bag? So when I get to the US (PHL) I guess I'll have to put it in my checked bags before rechecking them, as you have to clear security again.

And I know what this means but it's so silly (is this becasue of "sniffers")

Cigarette lighters are not permitted in either your hand luggage or suitcase, cigarette lighters carried on the person must be surrendered prior to going through Security. Cigarette lighters are available for purchase once you have passed through Security.

Jennifer

"Purchases BEFORE security must be placed in your permitted hand baggage and are subject to the restrictions on liquid products" -you can take through items before security, but they must not be on the banned list and must fit within the UK size restrictions.

"After security you can shop freely and take all products on board to all destinations. Thesepurchases do not have to be carried onboard in your hand baggage" -you can purchase anything once you have gone through security, items you purchase do not have to go into your handluggage and are not subject to the size restrictions.

However, I would be cautious about flights to the US, as usual they seem to want to be different to everybody else.