Shopping for England is not just a sport enjoyed by footballers' wives and girlfriends. Many Brits like to hit the shops when they are on an overseas break and there are often bargains to be had. But there are some important things to remember when splashing your cash.
The most obvious thing to watch out for is duty - a tax unwary travellers may find they have to pay on imported souvenirs. Colleen McCullough got caught out when she brought back designer clothes from a New York shopping spree. You should also be careful of banned goods; if you are returning from a non-EU country, you cannot carry substances such as food, plants and seeds.
Francis Taylor of HM Revenue and Customs says ignorance about what we can and cannot pack into our overstuffed suitcases has prompted the government to revive the "If In Doubt, Leave It Out" campaign. "With more and more of us going on long haul trips, the difference between what we can bring back from the EU and non-EU countries can get confusing," he says.
"Most people are aware that bringing back pirated items like DVDs and CDs is a criminal offence, but a lot of people don't know that bringing foodstuffs like honey or cheese from non-EU countries is banned. That's because of the risk of bringing in diseases and or pests that could affect UK crops."
What can you bring back?
If you are holidaying in the EU or a country that has an economic agreement with the EU, such as Iceland, you can bring back pretty much anything - as long as it is for your own personal use. What this amounts to is up to a customs officer to decide.
"In theory there is no limit on the amount of alcohol, cigarette or perfumes you can bring back, but someone carrying 600 packets of cigarettes or several cases of designer clothes may be viewed as being importing them for commercial use," Taylor says. "If customs officers can show that they are intended for a commercial use, they may become forfeit and the holiday maker will have to pay duty or face a fine."
If you are a smoker, beware that some of the newer EU countries do have stricter limits. From the Czech Republic you can bring back a maximum of 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos, while from Estonia or Hungary or Poland you can only bring back 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco.
And if you are travelling from a more exotic location you will have to be more careful. "Because the goods you buy will be duty free, there are much stricter limits," Taylor explains. "If you spend over £145, you'll have to pay duty on the whole value of the goods. If you've bought some expensive electrical equipment in, say, Singapore, you'll need to take into account the fact that you'll have to pay basic tax on top of that."
There are duty-free allowances for people travelling home from non-EU territories such as the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. You can bring back the following without having to pay tax: 200 cigarettes; or 100 cigarillos; or 50 cigars; or 250g of tobacco. In addition, you can import 60cc of perfume or 250cc eau de toilette, plus two litres of still wine or one litre of spirits.
Anyone who thinks they may have exceeded their allowances or is unsure about something they have purchased abroad should go through the red channel at the airport, or use the red point phones and declare the goods. There may be outstanding duty to pay and some items could be retained by Customs, but you will not be penalised and are less likely to get in trouble at a later date.
What you cannot bring back
As well as illegal drugs and weapons including stun guns being banned, there are strict rules on food products from non-EU countries. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has banned the transport of more than 5,000 animal and 28,000 plant species. These include plants and animals that are both alive and dead, and even products derived from them, including certain Chinese medicines with ingredients containing tiger bone, bear bile and deer musk glands.
Taylor says travellers who bring such items back into the UK risk seven years in jail. "There may be cases where people have bought a souvenir made from something that's banned, like ivory. If you are in any doubt, go through the red channel when you return. If you are bringing something back you shouldn't, you will be treated with more sympathy."
Protecting your souvenirs
If you do not pay duty, your holiday souvenirs may not be insured. David Mackay, M&S Money's commercial director, says anyone bringing back jewellery to Britain without paying UK duty on the goods may not be covered under home insurance policies.
"Because you have not paid duty, they are effectively illegal," he says. "No home insurance polices cover illegal purchases. However, most insurance policies will allow you to insure goods bought abroad."
Travel insurance policies should cover the goods between the time they are purchased and returning home, so you can make a claim if they are lost, stolen or damaged either at your hotel or in transit.
Using a credit card when buying large purchases will give you additional protection. Following a recent ruling, consumers now have the same right to a refund from a card provider as if they had bought the item in the UK. Anyone buying an item costing more than £100 that later turns out to be faulty has the right to a refund.
"The act means that anything worth over £100 and less than £30,000 is covered wherever it is bought," says Ian George of insurer Allianz Cornhill. "Remember, though, that the agreement only covers recognised credit cards such as MasterCard and not debit cards."
George says: "If you do buy something that you believe to be a genuine brand, for example a Sony camcorder, you may still be entitled to your money back from your credit card company if it is faulty. The act does cover items bought under good will."
For more detailed information on food and plants, see www.defra.gov.uk, www.hmrc.gov.uk or call the Customs National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000 (Mon-Fri, 8am to 8pm).
