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You DO have to show your boarding passes at Duty Free

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This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.
Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.
Read Martin's "You DO have to show your boarding passes at Duty Free" Blog.
Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.
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The answer is probably not. So the Treasury then ends up losing the VAT on the goods completely, and the consumer/retailer has gained as a result.
Is that true?
There is a chain shop called WorldDutyFree, but it has the same practices as all AIRSIDE airport shops, which is to pay VAT on purchases by pax departing to the EU, and to pay VAT on purchases who refuse to show their boarding pass.
Landside shops charge VAT regardless.
Boots were also still asking for the pass when I bought water in there. There was much rolling of eyes and gnashing of teeth by the staff member when I said I'd left it with my Dad on the other side of the airport lounge. But when I cheerfully suggested that I'd go and buy water in WHSmiths instead, she decided she could serve me after all.
Then after buying some Paco Rabanne on promotion, I caught them overcharging at the till cf. the shelf-label - they were most indignant after they checked but merely asked a supervisor to authorise the difference, when I told them that actually they were breaking the law. I asked the supervisor why the shelf label had not been immediately removed. I had to call for a manager to get it removed. To complete my point I asked the manager to use a £5 discount coupon on my £60 purchase as an acknowledgement. Those coupons are usually available for a minimum of £70 or £75 worth of purchases but she said she had no authority to allow it, nor did she even suggest I spend a little more to make it easier. She carried a face like a busted proverbial.
I use the airport a lot, and whilst many can be friendly and helpful enough, I find them completely sour-faced and unrepentent on matters like this where they have to handle non-routine criticisms to be honest. I think many and their employer deserve the sour-faced MSE'ers they encounter everyday.
These corporates collect far too much personal data on the excuse that the government needs it. They should not be permitted to scan the boarding pass, merely look at it at best. Goodness knows what other hidden information they pull from the scan. The barcode or QR codes obviously include links to passport data as well as flight data.
Read again and yes I see that it's a HMRC requirement for all goods sold.
Following Zerog's post though, I wonder how you know when you're visiting a duty-free shop?
I bought some goods and offered my boarding pass for scanning and was told oh don't worry about that, we just choose any one from the departure board and manually input it :rotfl: