Tax free shopping when flying out of Heathrow
 

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, thought the BA forum is where most of the regular Heathrow flyers are able to provide a quick answer. If not, Mod please move to somewhere else.

A relative of mine is flying from Heathrow. She used to hold a non EU passport but a few years ago married a UK citizen and earlier this year was naturalized as a UK citizen as well. Can she now, holding a UK passport, still purchase tax free goods from the stores at Heathrow T3 and T5 when flying to a non EU destination?

Yes - nationality is irrelevant. When you buy tax free goods you don't have to show your passport, only your boarding card. If you fly within the EU, any discounts you may be given are effectively just that - the shop is reducing its price to you. If you fly outside the EU, then you aren't liable for duty or VAT. None of this is affected by your nationality.

(This isn't the same as people reclaiming at the airport the VAT paid on the things they bought during their trip to the UK. For that to work, you have to be able to show that you are resident outside the EU. But nationality still doesn't matter.)

Is it worth it though?

Most of the time when I'm considering buying some alcohol, I find the prices to be almost exactly the same, if not worse, than over in the US.

The range is bigger though, so sometimes you can find obscure whiskey.

It can make a difference with luxury designer handbags like Chanel or Hermes.

Also for electronics if you want the UK spec - eg Apple products where you can get them without the VAT.

Indeed. And Louis Vuitton and Bottega Veneta too. Sans 20% VAT can come up to significant savings, on what is already "cheaper" prices in Europe compared to Asia and US!