EU VAT refund at Calais - has anyone done this?

[Kups]

Embarking on a long weekend in La France next Friday principally for shopping and just to get onto an aire again!

This article in the DM caught my eye this morning.

Buying at less than half-price on a festive shopping trip to France

Thomas W Hodgkinson takes the Eurotunnel from Kent to Calais to stock up on boozy bargains and a new coat, adding up the savings he's making along the way. Is it worth it? 'Absolutely,' he says.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Which started me thinking it might be worth the hassle to get my EU VAT back (take that Mr Micron!) and we'll be buying New Zealand wines as well. We will be spending more than €100.01 as required for the scheme.

Looks fairly straightforward and there is a PABLO (refund) terminal in the Eurotunnel Terminal which looks easy to use.

Tax-Free Shopping - LeShuttle

Save on purchases in the EU with a UK passport.

www.eurotunnel.com

Has anyone gone through this process ? Is it worth it?

 

[Itsmcb]

Haha, I looked this after our jaunt around the champagne region but I couldn't work out which of our purchases we had drank and which were still in the van so gave up. Next time I will shop for 'consumables' and 'stock' separately

 

[Spriddler]

Yebbut, don't you then have VAT to pay to the U.K?
Since the French and U.K. standard rate is the same (20%) there doesn't seem to be any benefit.

 

[Kups]

Yebbut, don't you then have VAT to pay to the U.K?
Since the French and U.K. standard rate is the same (20%) there doesn't seem to be any benefit.

As far as I understand No because it's duty free (within the prescribed limits).

 

[gus-lopez]

As far as I understand No because it's duty free (within the prescribed limits).

yes but " Vat" isn't the duty.

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[Catpirate]

It looks worth it to me, especially if you are buying gifts for people at home (noting the requirement not to use the items before return home)
As i understand it is only worth claiming on eligible goods up to your personal limit, if you import more than your personal limit then all purchases are liable to duty and VAT. (also each person in your group has a personal limit) I am not certain of limits on children for personal goods but under 17s cannot import alcohol or tobacco

Bringing goods into the UK for personal use

Bringing in goods for personal use when you travel to the UK from abroad - types of tax and duty, duty free, EU and non-EU arrivals, banned and restricted goods.

www.gov.uk

You cannot claim for:

• Goods with no VAT e.g. duty free shopping
• Goods you have already claimed a tax refund on
• Purchase of services e.g. museum tickets, concert tickets, hotels, car rental, fuel, restaurant bills
• Food items consumed in France
• Tobacco
• Pharmaceuticals
• Cars and car parts
• Online purchases (including click and collect) are currently not eligible for a tax refund
• Invoices showing returned or exchanged items (you should request a new clean invoice for the items you're keeping)

To prevent your refund claim being rejected by Customs when you leave France:

• keep your shopping in its original packaging (consumable items, such as perfume and alcohol, should remain unused);
• have all invoices and items on your tax refund form ready for inspection. If you're not able to produce one or more of your items or invoices for inspection, your entire refund claim may be rejected.

 

[Kups]

yes but " Vat" isn't the duty.

Hhmm... bit of a minefield this one.
The shops I've looked at all offer some level of VAT refund via an app or barcode on receipt to scan in at the French Eurotunnel terminal.
Pidou have this scheme https://www.pidou.com/detaxe

The official EU advice is clear that this is a VAT refund but is silent about what happens when you arrive in your non EU home country with your shopping. https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/guide-vat-refund-visitors-eu_en

My interpretation is that you will not be charged UK VAT on EU VAT refunded items when you arrive back in Folkestone or at the barrier in Calais.
Of course you need to stay within the customs limits for each type of purchase as well.

 

[Kups]

It looks worth it to me, especially if you are buying gifts for people at home (noting the requirement not to use the items before return home.
You can claim on eligible goods up to your personal limit, for example tobacco goods are not eligible

Bringing goods into the UK for personal use

Bringing in goods for personal use when you travel to the UK from abroad - types of tax and duty, duty free, EU and non-EU arrivals, banned and restricted goods.

www.gov.uk

You cannot claim for:

• Goods with no VAT e.g. duty free shopping
• Goods you have already claimed a tax refund on
• Purchase of services e.g. museum tickets, concert tickets, hotels, car rental, fuel, restaurant bills
• Food items consumed in France
• Tobacco
• Pharmaceuticals
• Cars and car parts
• Online purchases (including click and collect) are currently not eligible for a tax refund with Wevat
• Invoices showing returned or exchanged items (you should request a new clean invoice for the items you're keeping)

To prevent your refund claim being rejected by Customs when you leave France:

• keep your shopping in its original packaging (consumable items, such as perfume and alcohol, should remain unused);
• have all invoices and items on your tax refund form ready for inspection. If you're not able to produce one or more of your items or invoices for inspection, your entire refund claim may be rejected.

That's helpful. I remember in the dim and very distant past that we were told not to open "duty free" goods before entering the UK.
Back to the old ways!

 

[Lenny HB]

I can't see it's worth the time and hassle.
We tend to pick up wine as we travel around a few bottles here and there. I can't see a shop or supermarket in southern France or Spain having a clue to what you are asking for.

 

[Catpirate]

I have heard that border force and customs do not yet have the facilities to process VAT returns at Folkstone and Dover bit this may (will) change in the future, not quite ready for Brexit yet, this is also why very few checks are carried out on imports to the UK from the EU.

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[Gromett]

take that Mr Micron!

Except you are spending in a French shop instead of a British shop and depriving our taxman in the process
Shooting yourself in the foot if you want to get one over on him

 

[Kups]

Except you are spending in a French shop instead of a British shop and depriving our taxman in the process
Shooting yourself in the foot if you want to get one over on him

We spend a lot of money in UK shops and pay far too much to HMRC!
However, when in France we always buy wine to bring home to store in our (French) wine fridge which lasts us several months. We'll buy enough this trip to last until Christmas at wine/beer prices even cheaper than Sainsburys and I think they can take the hit from us not buying locally just for a month or two We also buy several kilos of Italian or French ground coffee which is about 75% cheaper than UK stores, no idea why must be simply market prices or more likely rip off Britain.

 

[Kups]

I have heard that border force and customs do not yet have the facilities to process VAT returns at Folkstone and Dover bit this may (will) change in the future, not quite ready for Brexit yet, this is also why very few checks are carried out on imports to the UK from the EU.

As far as I understand the EU VAT refund is done before leaving France. There is a PABLO terminal in the Eurotunnel terminal.
According to their website:
PABLO is the electronic VAT refund processing system for France. You can use the PABLO kiosks in our Calais Terminal to validate your tax refund forms if purchases have been made in France. It’s the fastest and easiest way to validate your tax refund forms and all the instructions are on the screen for you to follow. You can use our customs service within our Calais Terminal to validate tax refund forms if purchases have been made in other EU countries. A customs officer will stamp the form manually for you.

It's going to be interesting to see if it works.

 

[tonka]

Pidou - detaxe

www.pidou.com

Looks like Pidou are on to it

 

[MisterB]

is fuel subject to VAT ....?

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[Catpirate]

Fuel is subject to VAT but is not eligible for VAT refunds.

You cannot claim for:

• Goods with no VAT e.g. duty free shopping
• Goods you have already claimed a tax refund on
• Purchase of services e.g. museum tickets, concert tickets, hotels, car rental, fuel, restaurant bills
• Food items consumed in France
• Tobacco
• Pharmaceuticals
• Cars and car parts
• Online purchases (including click and collect) are currently not eligible for a tax refund
• Invoices showing returned or exchanged items (you should request a new clean invoice for the items you're keeping)

To prevent your refund claim being rejected by Customs when you leave France:

• keep your shopping in its original packaging (consumable items, such as perfume and alcohol, should remain unused);
• have all invoices and items on your tax refund form ready for inspection. If you're not able to produce one or more of your items or invoices for inspection, your entire refund claim may be rejected.

 

[Gellyneck]

My understanding (and does require corroboration) VAT on any export from the EU can be reclaimed on export (with the exclusions noted by Catpirate ).
Any items in excess of the UK duty free limits are subject to Customs Duty, Excise Duty and VAT. In addition any additional costs over the purchase price, eg transport, agency fees, etc are also subect to Customs Duty and VAT.

 

[Catpirate]

I am not sure of that, I think if you import more than your allowance then the whole import becomes dutiable e.g. you can import 18 litres of wine from France and reclaim the VAT, but if you import 19 litres then, whilst you can reclaim the VAT paid in France UK customs can charge you VAT on the entire 19 litres.

 

[Gromett]

I am not sure of that, I think if you import more than your allowance then the whole import becomes dutiable e.g. you can import 18 litres of wine from France and reclaim the VAT, but if you import 19 litres then, whilst you can reclaim the VAT paid in France UK customs can charge you VAT on the entire 19 litres.

And that makes total sense. Makes people take notice of the limits and cuts down on the cost of administering it. Also prevents arguments/debates on how much is taxable.

 

[Bolti]

I am not sure of that, I think if you import more than your allowance then the whole import becomes dutiable e.g. you can import 18 litres of wine from France and reclaim the VAT, but if you import 19 litres then, whilst you can reclaim the VAT paid in France UK customs can charge you VAT on the entire 19 litres.

So could you claim duty back on 19 litres of wine then after a nice overnight sailing arrive with 18 litres duty free?

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[Catpirate]

So could you claim duty back on 19 litres of wine then after a nice overnight sailing arrive with 18 litres duty free

Yes but buy your last one separately lol

 

[Kups]

So could you claim duty back on 19 litres of wine then after a nice overnight sailing arrive with 18 litres duty free?

Technically yes.

 

[Camdoon]

Assuming you have bought in Spain the French will still refund you? Grassy bottom.
Talks of the easiest way is to present your credit card as money will go back onto the card in £. Wondering what would happen if you bought in € with a Revolut/Starling etc debit card?

 

[MisterB]

what about 'other goods' ?

Allowance for other goods​

You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (or up to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat).

If you go over your allowance you pay tax and duty on the total value of the goods, not just the value above the allowance.

You may have to pay import VAT and customs duty if you exceed your allowance.

- so if i buy something for the motorhome that costs less than £390, i can claim back the VAT i paid on it and not have to pay any import tax or VAT? I have been looking at a Votronic MPPT 350 and remote monitor, plus a couple of other things - at a saving of £79 on VAT on 'stuff' plus 'duty free' on other stuff, it might go some way towards paying for the crossing itself !

hopefully someone can let me know if this falls within the 'allowances' scheme and is it a value of £390 before or after the VAT has been removed?

 

[Bolti]

what about 'other goods' ?

Allowance for other goods​

You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (or up to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat).

If you go over your allowance you pay tax and duty on the total value of the goods, not just the value above the allowance.

You may have to pay import VAT and customs duty if you exceed your allowance.

- so if i buy something for the motorhome that costs less than £390, i can claim back the VAT i paid on it and not have to pay any import tax or VAT? I have been looking at a Votronic MPPT 350 and remote monitor, plus a couple of other things - at a saving of £79 on VAT on 'stuff' plus 'duty free' on other stuff, it might go some way towards paying for the crossing itself !

hopefully someone can let me know if this falls within the 'allowances' scheme and is it a value of £390 before or after the VAT has been removed?

Would that fall under the heading Car and Car parts?

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[MisterB]

Would that fall under the heading Car and Car parts?

electrical items? it mentions 'other goods'?

 

[ronecc1]

Yebbut, don't you then have VAT to pay to the U.K?
Since the French and U.K. standard rate is the same (20%) there doesn't seem to be any benefit.

Agreed. I am not sure how it works now, but any tax free goods had to have VAT paid when entering the U.K. I suppose it is down to the honesty of the tourist and the dedication of the customs official.

 

[orridge]

Some info here https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/tax-free-shopping/

Eurotunnel and Carreforre Cite de Europe were doing a promotion last time I was over and you received a gift card when using the ET vat terminal for next trip.

 

[Kups]

Some info here https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/tax-free-shopping/

Eurotunnel and Carreforre Cite de Europe were doing a promotion last time I was over and you received a gift card when using the ET vat terminal for next trip.

It's still on but I don't fancy parking at Cite Europe even in daylight

Carrefour Cité Europe – LeShuttle

Carrefour Cité Europe is the best shopping destination when traveling with LeShuttle, and one of the biggest hypermarkets in the region.

www.eurotunnel.com

 

[davieboy]

Brought wine in Calais and the guy done all the paperwork for me only needed passport, just scanned at the euro tunnel terminal not sure how long it takes to refund onto my Revolut card will keep an eye out

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