Can I buy duty free at departure uk airport?

[phoneeeehommmeee]

I'm travelling soon and my local airport have some great deals on spirits.
Can I buy at the airport and take to Canary Islands and then bring home?
Or do I have to buy on return ?

I'm sure you can. I think you can even arrange to collect when you return. Though I may be wrong on that. The deals at Manchester airport were much better than at the airport in Crete when we travelled.

I'm sure we bought spirits at the airport when we went to lanzarote. There are limits though

We then bought bubble wrap while on holiday and brought the leftovers home with us in our suitcase.

Yes, although if its that good a deal you might need to be conscious of limits / on what you can bring back in!
Might be easier to see if the airport does "collect on return", far easier than carrying litres of drink around with you.

You certainly used to be able to, but I don't know if allowances have changed since Brexit.

Be aware though, on the return journey your cabin luggage is subject to the usual security limits on liquids, so it would have to go in your hold luggage (best avoided for risk of breakage or theft). Items bought in Duty Free, ie after Security, can be carried onboard but not when you've taken it into the country and are bringing it out again. Check if the airport allows you to collect it on the way back.

This is a picture of my bubble wrapped bottles for the journey home from lanzarote. Also put them inside the shopping bags we took to minimise chances of them breaking in the case.

Thankyou -I think il only buy the 1 bottle then and hope it doesn't smash on way home
It's £12 for a bottle of absolute vodka which is normally £20
I was going to get a few flavours but don't fancy my chances of them not smashing

Sorry to derail, but@dementedpixie , how do you use the stolichnaya please? I bought some but it seems bitter to me.

@dudsville we use it in mixed drinks e.g. Long vodka which has angostura bitters, lime cordial and lemonade added. You could make cocktails with it.

Is the duty free shop in the Canaries on the way back not just as good value? The islands themselves are duty free in the local shops.

But the plastic bottles in resort and wrap them in your beach towels

just flew out of stansted....everything cheaper in my local supermarkets...!!...Often wonder who buys from the airport shops....so expensive for all items....!!....if on offer then buy...canaries usually cheaper than airports.....we always find things a lot cheaper in local shops....

I was passing through Dublin Airport recently. Saw a perfume that I like and it was €67. I was tempted, but I left it in the end. Got the same in Boots on special for £45 last week.

I think airports and departures are designed to get people to browse and buy as there is a lot of time to kill. I'm rarely tempted as don't drink or smoke (holy joe lol), so I just go to the departure area and watch something on Netflix.

Well...Stansted is more or less just a shopping centre...its been redesigned so have to walk thro loads of shops...with people dawdling along...if you in a rush its a real pain...!!....the cigs are now all hidden away in a small room....!!!

@earsup Yes I know, Stansted is just that alright!

I think they put something in the aircon to drug passengers into a shuffling mess aimlessly buying in the so called "Duty Free Shops". I'm wise to it now though after many years of buying crap to pass the time. Old age and grumpiness allows this ha ha.

Thank you, i shall look up "long vodka"!

The duty free limits are unchanged and now apply to travel to and from all EU countries of course.