Which pm removed tax-free shopping in UK?

A new report, released Monday, says that the removal of tax-free shopping in the U.K.—brought about by Rishi Sunak when he was chancellor and who is now prime minister—is costing the country £10.7 billion ($14 billion) and deterring two million tourists a year from visiting.



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Attention all savvy shoppers and travel enthusiasts! Some of you might have been aware that tax-free shopping for international travellers shopping in the United Kingdom has been discontinued.

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Value-added tax (VAT) is a 20% sales tax charged on most goods in the UK.

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But under post-Brexit rules drawn up by government, tax free sales at UK airports were withdrawn for all outbound passengers from 1 January 2021 on goods other than liquor & tobacco. That included the all-important fragrances & cosmetics category, as well as fashion, luxury, and consumer technology.

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Oh, the joy of scoring incredible deals while exploring the beautiful cities of Great Britain! However, starting from January 1, 2021, a wave of change swept across the nation as the UK government made the regrettable decision to discontinue the VAT refund scheme for tourists. Yes, you heard it right.

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A VAT, or Value Added Tax, refund in Europe is fairly similar to a tax-free holiday in the States, except it's only available to foreign tourists. A VAT is a surplus charge, often in excess of 25% of the total purchase that is added to most sales in countries inside of the European Union.

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