Ministers urged to let EU visitors shop tax-free
A new paper from the Association of International Retail (AIR), an independent industry body, has urged the government to reverse the 2021 decision to scrap VAT rebates for tourists — a move widely criticised by business leaders as a 'tourist tax'.
The submission, delivered to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, argues that Brexit created a unique chance for Britain to offer tax-free shopping to both non-EU and EU visitors, unlocking a vast new market of 450 million potential shoppers.
'With Britain no longer in the EU, we have the opportunity to become the best place in the world for shopping,' said Derrick Hardman, the chair of AIR.
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