Duty Free
by Stephen on Apr.04, 2009, under Rant
Specifically at Heathrow, but what’s the point?
So you save a bit of tax, on anything in a sensible price range the tax is so little its hardly worth it. And as their in an airport, the prices are pushed up more making the savings even less significant.
Having spent quite a bit of time at Heathrow, and saw all their duty free shops, its full of big brand shops, the ones that nothing sells for less than 3 figures, fine you make some decent savings but what you do save is probably more than you’d be willing to pay.
One salesman asked if there was anything of interested, I commented that it was out our price range n his responce was “The more you spend the more you save”, while technically true it doesn’t stop the prices being rediculous.
I can understand the cheap booze, n little things but laptops and of all things luggage! surely if you’re in the airport departure lounge to see the duty free your luggage is already on the plane and any cases you buy are no use and probably can’t go on the flight anyway? And the clothes shops expensive designer brands that no normal person could even afford the tax savingnevermind the price of the items, isnt their some limit to the cost of items on your insurance? just buy one of them n you’re probably over the possessions limit.
And the caviar shop? WTF? why would you take over £100 worth of fish eggs on holiday? either rich people are weird and can’t buy things while they’re away or these shops are all there to cash in on the fact that people will beleive its worth spending more on something than they would normally because they’re not paying tax.
It kinda ironic that the London/England souvenir shop was staffed by none English staff. fair enough the majority of the airport staff seemed to be none British but its London where everyone goes when they come here, so its no surprise, but seriously the shop that sells all things British couldn’t even be staffed by a Brit? If you went to Newcastle you wouldn’t really expect a Cockney to be selling you Geordie souvenirs would you? I’m all for equal opportunities, just strikes me as rather ironic (assuming I’ve used the word right).
An my last thing, how many W H Smith’s does the airport need? I understand a few scattered around on the way to gates etc, so its not so far to walk but 2 or 3 in the main seating area, selling the same, isn’t that just a bit much?
