Showing your boarding pass to buy a mars bar
Discussion
Reasons I can think of:
- retailers charge the same to every customer, however if that person if flying outside the EU the retailer doesn't have to pay the VAT content.
- market research
- security check to stop staff ringing up 0% purchases for themselves
- security check to ensure that everyone buying something is entitled to be airside.
- customs check to see if people are buying more than their allowance
- retailers charge the same to every customer, however if that person if flying outside the EU the retailer doesn't have to pay the VAT content.
- market research
- security check to stop staff ringing up 0% purchases for themselves
- security check to ensure that everyone buying something is entitled to be airside.
- customs check to see if people are buying more than their allowance
They do the same with water, surely there is no VAT on that?
Another weird one i always thin is where WHSmiths sell smokes for near £10 a pack when there is no where to smoke them anyway in most cases and 200 will only £35 on the plane.
Why is 'duty free' shopping always dearer than going to the local supermarket as well?
Another weird one i always thin is where WHSmiths sell smokes for near £10 a pack when there is no where to smoke them anyway in most cases and 200 will only £35 on the plane.
Why is 'duty free' shopping always dearer than going to the local supermarket as well?
Also took a look at a laptop in Dixon's and was told they can give me an 'airport price' but that's not VAT free (I presume they actually mean is we'll split the difference on the VAT saving).
I did ask the woman in WH Smiths about it and she said it was for market research but for the hassle of making everyone dig out their boarding pass I don't buy it.
I did ask the woman in WH Smiths about it and she said it was for market research but for the hassle of making everyone dig out their boarding pass I don't buy it.
rpguk said:
I did ask the woman in WH Smiths about it and she said it was for market research but for the hassle of making everyone dig out their boarding pass I don't buy it.
Apparently it is.A rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
Personally I couldn't be bothered with the hassle, and I don't really care who knows I bought a Mars Bar at Birmingham Airport at 1542 on May 6, whilst on my way to Brussels. But, if you feel differently, I think you can prove your point.
I hate this. It is all for market research, I've been told. So they can work out who's buying what flying where. Presume you can get a lot of info from a boarding card.
Occasionally I'm fed a line about making sure ground staff aren't buying the stuff, but that doesn't ring true.
It mostly annoys me because it really slows down the queue in places like Smiths and Boots. It's the opposite of customer service! When I'm paying £2 for a bottle of water my annoyance levels are high as it is.
Occasionally I'm fed a line about making sure ground staff aren't buying the stuff, but that doesn't ring true.
It mostly annoys me because it really slows down the queue in places like Smiths and Boots. It's the opposite of customer service! When I'm paying £2 for a bottle of water my annoyance levels are high as it is.
N Dentressangle said:
Apparently it is.
A rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
Personally I couldn't be bothered with the hassle, and I don't really care who knows I bought a Mars Bar at Birmingham Airport at 1542 on May 6, whilst on my way to Brussels. But, if you feel differently, I think you can prove your point.
Erm ok, but they only ask for your flight number thou? I'm not sure that is worth being detained over while they 'investigate' - but each to their own, my time is too precious to waste on arguing for arguments sake. (However I appreciate I'd be pretty pissed over someone calling security over something so trivial)A rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
Personally I couldn't be bothered with the hassle, and I don't really care who knows I bought a Mars Bar at Birmingham Airport at 1542 on May 6, whilst on my way to Brussels. But, if you feel differently, I think you can prove your point.
I wouldn't so much mind the 'market research' angle, if it were the case that the Gatwick WH Smiths offered me something amazing over and above the local High St one. As it is it's piled high with exactly the same s
t people like to buy at airports, regardless of where they are flying.
t people like to buy at airports, regardless of where they are flying. N Dentressangle said:
Apparently it is.
A rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
I refuse to show my boarding pass at airport WH Smiths. It is none of their fA rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
king business. I can go to any number of other shops and not show my boarding pass. They do not give me an ex-VAT price. So fk you WH Smith. I'll show my boarding pass to people who have a lawful reason to see it or to people who will give me a discount by not charging VAT. Nobody at WH Smith has ever called security but if they did it would still be f
k you WH Smith. creampuff said:
I refuse to show my boarding pass at airport WH Smiths. It is none of their fking business. I can go to any number of other shops and not show my boarding pass. They do not give me an ex-VAT price. So fk you WH Smith. I'll show my boarding pass to people who have a lawful reason to see it or to people who will give me a discount by not charging VAT.
Nobody at WH Smith has ever called security but if they did it would still be fk you WH Smith.
Jesus, how angry to do you get over stuff that actually matters?????????????king business. I can go to any number of other shops and not show my boarding pass. They do not give me an ex-VAT price. So fk you WH Smith. I'll show my boarding pass to people who have a lawful reason to see it or to people who will give me a discount by not charging VAT. Nobody at WH Smith has ever called security but if they did it would still be f
k you WH Smith. 
"Air travellers refusing to show boarding passes at airport shops after news that the information is used by stores to avoid paying VAT "
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/air...
"Airport retailers demand boarding cards from customers to avoid paying 20 per cent VAT on everything they sell to passengers who are travelling outside the European Union, as there is no purchase tax due on such goods. Research by The Independent suggests most of these stores don’t pass the savings on to customers."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/air...
"Airport retailers demand boarding cards from customers to avoid paying 20 per cent VAT on everything they sell to passengers who are travelling outside the European Union, as there is no purchase tax due on such goods. Research by The Independent suggests most of these stores don’t pass the savings on to customers."
Glad I was a trendsetter in picking this up
My OP was just a matter of interest, I never held back my boarding pass out of spite - usually just asked them if it was really necessary because I tend to be in a hurry and am buggered if I'm going to dig through my bag in order to save a bit of cash for Smiths.
I will start now though, if they want to claim I'm exporting my Mars bar (it's unlikely to last as far as the departure gate) then they can at least split the rewards with me
tescorank said:
It's a scam that only happens in the UK !
imagine how much they have been making from this-I've always said what boarding pass i'm waiting for my private jet to arrive !
I get asked at Munich Airport every single time i buy some water. I’m not going to argue with the German airport dudes as they look mean as fook. imagine how much they have been making from this-I've always said what boarding pass i'm waiting for my private jet to arrive !
creampuff said:
N Dentressangle said:
Apparently it is.
A rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
I refuse to show my boarding pass at airport WH Smiths. It is none of their fA rather bloody minded mate of mine politely refused to show his boarding card, on the basis that it was unnecessary market research and he did not agree to his data being used in this way.
They threatened to call security.
He stood his ground, and suggested they did that.
Security arrived, and my friend maintained his stance. Eventually they agreed that there was no law which forced him to show his boarding pass and allowed him to make his purchase.
king business. I can go to any number of other shops and not show my boarding pass. They do not give me an ex-VAT price. So fk you WH Smith. I'll show my boarding pass to people who have a lawful reason to see it or to people who will give me a discount by not charging VAT. Nobody at WH Smith has ever called security but if they did it would still be f
k you WH Smith. Bluequay said:
creampuff said:
I refuse to show my boarding pass at airport WH Smiths. It is none of their fking business. I can go to any number of other shops and not show my boarding pass. They do not give me an ex-VAT price. So fk you WH Smith. I'll show my boarding pass to people who have a lawful reason to see it or to people who will give me a discount by not charging VAT.
Nobody at WH Smith has ever called security but if they did it would still be fk you WH Smith.
Jesus, how angry to do you get over stuff that actually matters?????????????king business. I can go to any number of other shops and not show my boarding pass. They do not give me an ex-VAT price. So fk you WH Smith. I'll show my boarding pass to people who have a lawful reason to see it or to people who will give me a discount by not charging VAT. Nobody at WH Smith has ever called security but if they did it would still be f
k you WH Smith. We are slowly sleepwalking into acquiescence to every petty, irrelevant, intrusive request.
To coin a phrase, it's my "yuman right" to tell them "enough is enough" from time to time.
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