Air travellers are refusing to show their boarding passes at airport shops after UK newspaper The Independent revealed that the information is used by some stores to avoid paying VAT, without passing on the discount to customers.\u00a0The revolt comes amid mounting anger at the tax ruse, which the paper exposed on Saturday.<\/p>\n
According to The Independent<\/a> article:<\/strong><\/p>\n “Passengers who had assumed they were legally obliged to present boarding passes when paying for goods in airport shops expressed astonishment that they were being inconvenienced to boost profits.<\/p>\n Dozens of readers have come forward to say they will refuse to show their boarding cards, and travellers have already reported protests in branches of WHSmith and Boots in airports including Heathrow.<\/p>\n Consumer champions backed the Independent\u2019s campaign to end the rip-off. Money Saving Expert<\/a>\u2019s Martin Lewis said: \u201cPeople withholding their boarding passes will force companies to take note and eventually take action.\u201d<\/p>\n Sarah Pennells, of money website SavvyWoman, added: \u201cIf airport shops aren\u2019t going to pass on the VAT saving, we should refuse to show our boarding cards. Shops aren\u2019t being transparent. If they are not paying VAT on purchases made by passengers leaving the EU, they should be passing those savings on.\u201d<\/p>\n Caroline Russell, the Green Party\u2019s local transport spokeswoman, added: \u201cIt is wrong that airport shops, predominantly multi-million pound operations, continue to reclaim VAT without reducing prices for customers.\u201d<\/p>\n Airport retailers demand boarding cards to avoid paying 20 per cent VAT on everything they sell to passengers who are travelling outside the EU, as there is no purchase tax due on such goods. Research by the Independent suggests most don\u2019t pass savings on. There is no suggestion any chain is breaking the law.<\/p>\n Regular travellers expressed anger on social media, with some claiming shop staff had told them, inaccurately, that they could not make a purchase without showing their boarding cards. \u201cThat\u2019s the last time I show an airport shop my boarding card on principle,\u201d said one tweeter.<\/p>\n Backing the protest, Mr Lewis conceded that retailers have extra costs in airports but says they should hand back some of the reclaimed VAT to shoppers. \u201cWhy not share the tax?\u201d he suggested.<\/p>\n Retailers said dual-pricing systems would be a \u201cpractical impossibility\u201d.<\/p>\n Morer media comment below:<\/p>\n More:<\/strong> The airport VAT scam: Retailers told to come clean after being accused of pocketing millions from discounts on duty-free sales<\/a><\/p>\n More:<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-33873725<\/a><\/p>\n More:<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/www.moneysavingexpert.com\/news\/travel\/2015\/08\/airport-retailers-urged-to-pass-on-tax-discounts-to-flyers<\/a><\/p>\n