If you’re passing through the airport in December, make room in your luggage for some Christmas gifts. We’ve found you can save up to £25 on perfume and other luxury goods in duty-free.
We previously revealed that shopping in the terminal instead of on the high street could save you money. And the same was true when we conducted our latest round of spot checks in the lead up to Christmas.
A 50ml bottle of Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum was at least £20 cheaper at World Duty Free compared to Boots, John Lewis and online at Estee Lauder. The airport retailer also beat high street stores on fragrances; we found Emporio Armani He for £23 less and saved £20 on a bottle of Carolina Herrera Good Girl.
World Duty Free has stores all over the world, including at 18 UK airports and the Eurotunnel.
How much cheaper is duty-free perfume?
|
Product |
World Duty Free |
Boots |
The Perfume Shop |
Online direct with retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paco Rabanne 1 Million for Men eau de toilette (50ml) |
£41.30 |
£54 |
£54 |
£54 |
|
Emporio Armani He eau de toilette (100ml) |
£39.95 |
£63 |
£50 |
£50 |
|
Carolina Herrera Good Girl eau de parfum (50ml) |
£61.10 |
£80 |
£80 |
£80 |
Table notes: Prices collected online on 28 November 2022.
There are also bargains to be had on booze; a one-litre bottle of Smirnoff Red Label Vodka was between £8 and £13 less in World Duty Free than the cheapest supermarket suppliers. And while one litre of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey would set you back £33 at the supermarket, World Duty Free was selling it for £25.
Duty-free bargains on alcohol
|
Product |
World Duty Free |
Asda |
Tesco |
Sainsbury’s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey (1L) |
£24.89 |
£32 |
£33 |
£33 |
|
Smirnoff Red Label vodka (1L) |
£11.29 |
£18 |
£22.50 |
£22.50 |
|
Tanqueray London Dry Gin (1L) |
£14.09 |
£22 |
22.50 |
£27.50 |
Table notes: Prices collected online on 28 November 2022. Asda and Sainsbury’s and Tesco were among the cheapest supermarkets in October 2022, according to Which? analysis (after Aldi and Lidl, which did not supply these brands).
How to save on Christmas shopping in airport duty-free
1. Compare before you go
Check prices online with World Duty Free and on the high street as close to your departure date as possible. That way, you’ll know whether you’re getting a genuine saving. This is especially true for alcohol as you may find generous offers at the supermarket in the lead up to Christmas.
2. Pre-order online
You can save an extra 10% on your shopping at World Duty Free if you pre-order online before you travel. Simply collect and pay once you’re airside, leaving you more time and money for a pre-flight glass of bubbly.
3. Shop in the UK for bigger savings…
When we checked back in April, a bottle of Carolina Herrera perfume was £14 less at the World Duty Free in London than at its New York equivalent. An Estée Lauder anti-ageing serum was also much cheaper at London airports than any other location we looked at. Note down prices before you fly and compare them when you land. If the UK works out cheaper, you can buy your items when you arrive home.
4. … and pay in the local currency if you do shop abroad
If a bargain has caught your eye in duty-free abroad, make sure you pay in the local currency to stop conversion rates inflating the price.
5. Buy before you fly
When we checked in April 2022, we found that duty-free products were either cheaper or the same price at the airport than on the plane, so buy before you board.
6. Remember to claim your tax refund in the EU
You can now buy up to £390 worth of tax-free products at duty-free stores in the EU. Buy your products as normal then show your receipt to the tax refund counter at the airport to take advantage. Read more about how to claim back tax on your shopping in the EU.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/world-duty-free-cheaper-perfume-christmas-a216O3Q46a7y