Save £££ Buying These 4 Popular Holiday Items from Duty Free
Need (or want) a new pair of sunglasses, some on-trend jeweled strappy sandals or a fresh beach tote? Here are popular summer holiday products to buy from duty free that will cost you less than you'd pay on the high street or online.
While not everything is cheaper at duty free, many products cost 17% less than the high street price when you shop at duty free because you don't pay VAT. By not paying the 20% VAT, you essentially save 17% off the VAT inclusive price. And while it may seem early to talk about Christmas when you're headed to a summer holiday, it's not—the money you save at duty free can be added to your Christmas savings to help you have a debt-free Christmas.
Sunglasses
Given the high ticket price of many popular brands there are definite savings to be found by purchasing sunglasses from a duty free shop. With a high-end pair easily costing over £100, you can save £20 to £40 or more shopping at the airport.
For example, Ray-Ban's violet Aviators cost £120.83 from duty free, a savings of £24.17 from the high street price.
| Brand | Trend | Style | High Street Price | Duty Free Price | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolce & Gabana | Bold cat eye | 0DG4349 | £287 | £238.21 | £48.79 |
| Kate Spade | Translucent | kate spade kiyah/s sunglasses | £130 | £108.33 | £21.67 |
| Oakley | Shield | 0OO7050 FLIGHT DECK | £175 | £145.25 | £29.75 |
| Ray-Ban | Phantos sunglasses with pink lenses | 0RB3647N | £154 | £128.33 | £25.67 |
| Ray-Ban | Round | 0RB4277 EMMA | £163 | £135.83 | £27.17 |
| Ray-Ban | Wayfarer | 0RB2140 WAYFARER | £127 | £105.83 | £21.17 |
| Ray-Ban | Violet Aviator | 0RB3025 AVIATOR LARGE METAL | £145 | £120.83 | £24.17 |
| Tiffany | Square with a pop of colour | 0TF4076 | £205 | £170.83 | £34.17 |
| Tom Ford | Clear | 0TR000423 FT008 JENNIFER | £257 | £214.16 | £42.84 |
| Versace | Bold Aviator | 0VE2161 | £202 | £168.33 | £33.67 |
Sandals
A new pair of summer sandals can quickly and easily update your holiday dresses and—best of all—doesn't take up much room in your suitcase.
For example, when you buy a pair of Sybil Carvela wedge sandals from Kurt Geiger you can save £14.83 from duty free—more than enough to pay for a beautiful, tropical cocktail on your first night on holiday.
| Trend | Brand | Style | High Street/ Online | Duty Free | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strappy jeweled sandals | Accessorize | Caitlin Crystal Flower Sandals | £35.00 | £29.16 | £5.84 |
| Leopard and raffia wedge | Carvela Comfort | Sybil | £89.00 | £74.17 | £14.83 |
| Tan leather sliders | Kurt Geiger | Odina | £99.00 | £82.50 | £16.50 |
| Floral strappy sandals | Ted Baker | Rozie | £129.00 | £107.50 | £21.50 |
Lips
A bright pink lip is just the thing for a holiday abroad. With many lip products costing around £20, you can expect to save around £3.50 buying from duty free, give or take a bit.
| Brand | Product | High Street/Online | Savings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarins | Joli Rouge Brillant Lipstick 25 Bright Rose | £22 | £18.30 | £3.70 |
| Clinique | Pop™ Lip Colour + Primer Punch Pop | £17 | £14.15 | £2.85 |
| Nars | Audacious Lipstick Annabella | £26 | £21.65 | £4.35 |
Holiday Bags
Depending on your budget, a new holiday tote to carry your things to the beach can cost anywhere from £20 to £250. The more expensive the bag, the more you would save buying from duty free.
For example, if you're in the market for a Kate Spade stripe straw tote or rose cylinder cross-body bag to brighten up your summer wardrobe, you can save around £50 buying from duty free. A tote from Cath Kidston costs a lot less—but you can still save up to £10 when buying from duty free.
| Brand | Product | High Street | Duty Free | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessorize | Le Soleil Beach Tote Bag | £25 | £20.41 | £4.59 |
| Accessorize | Harpreet Tote Bag | £32.50 | £27.25 | £5.25 |
| Accessorize | Samta Handheld Bag | £39 | £32.50 | £6.50 |
| Cath Kidston | Button Spot Foldaway Double Decker Travel Bag | £55 | £45.83 | £9.17 |
| Kate Spade | Kate Spade Sam stripe straw large tote | £295 | £245.83 | £49.17 |
| Kate Spade | Kate Spade rose cylinder crossbody | £350 | £291.67 | £58.33 |
| Ted Baker | Kezia | £59 | £49.17 | £9.83 |
Some Products are More Expensive from Duty Free
It's always a good idea to compare prices on items before you buy from duty free, because sometimes a better deal can be found online before you travel.
For example, Lancaster Sun Beauty Velvet Milk SPF 30 costs £27.85 from Heathrow duty free, but you can save nearly £6 if you get it ahead of time—a bottle costs only £21.95 from allbeauty.com (with free Royal Mail Tracked 2-3 business day shipping). You'll just need to plan ahead and leave enough time for it to arrive before you travel.
| Brand | Product | Online | Duty Free | Duty Free More Expensive by... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarins | Sunscreen Care Milk-Lotion Spray Very High Protection UVB / UVA 50+ | £16.95 | £18.50 | £1.55 |
| Lancaster | Sun Beauty Velvet Milk SPF 30 | £21.95 | £27.85 | £5.90 |
| Shisheido | Expert Sun Protection Lotion | £24.50 | £27.45 | £2.95 |
One other thing to buy ahead of your trip is travel insurance, which costs as little as £5 and can really save you a bundle if you have a travel mishap.
Methodology
We researched prices of popular holiday items from the Heathrow Boutique in order to understand how much a consumer can save buying from duty free vs. the high street or online. We compared duty free prices to the cheapest of the estimated high street price (as listed at Heathrow Boutique) and the online price we found through Internet searches.
